


The Stage is Set

by Leofire_cub04



Series: Multiverse Stories [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Backstory, Canon Backstory, Fluff, Hurt, Ink Has A Soul, Inspired by Music, M/M, Multi, My AU, Reactions?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:49:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 92,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26610136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leofire_cub04/pseuds/Leofire_cub04
Summary: This is MY version of the Sans Au Multiverse. The X-event never happened, and Ink and Cross became close (like brothers, along with Reaper). There are three 'new' Au's in this, those are my Au's, but they have never told their backstory to anyone else. Not even to each other. But this isn't about them, yet, so lemme finish explaining this. So, Ink actually does care about the people in the Au's knowing that the creators can remake the Au, but not the people. Or his friends, so he protects them from the creators. He fights for them and not the creators, while he and Error did have a truce, Ink couldn't save Error from the creators until recently. Most people knew that Ink didn't have a soul since he didn't hide it, but Error held out until he did (Ink has a soul now) to tell him how he feels, and Ink accepted and returned the feelings. And as this AU of the Multiverse I, as a/the creator, also play a role in this as well. Everything has worked out, meaning there isn't any fighting. They're all friends now. HOWEVER, I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS OTHER THAN GREEN, LEO, AND SAGE! OH YEAH, NIGHTMARE IS PASSIVE IN THIS MULTIVERSE. THEY FOUND A WAY TO CHANGE HIM BACK.
Relationships: AfterDeath - Relationship, Blue/Dust, Cream - Relationship, Cross/Dream, Error/Ink, Errorink, Geno/Reaper, Killer/Nightmare, Killermare, Leo/Green/Sage, dustberry
Series: Multiverse Stories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1935811
Comments: 40
Kudos: 20





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place a little after Ink gets his soul and Error has calmed his glitching down. Everyone is hanging out at the house that most of them live in, or just visit. After this chapter, the others will be inspired by music and kind of be like a song as a story. Something like that.

**Third Person**

"So... It's you that we should be thanking for Ink's soul. Right?" Blue turns his head to Green. Green looks away as he leans against the wall. He softly sighs before walking over the love seat where Leo and Sage are.

"don't." He sits against Leo and pulls his hood over his face. Leo sighs. Ink frowns as he stares at Green.

"Wow. You're cold, dude." Dust rolls his eyes as he puts his feet up on the table.

Green looks away from him, even if Dust couldn't see his eye sockets. His vision blurs as tears build up in the corner of his eye sockets. Out of habit, Green brings his hand to his other shoulder. Leo shuffles Sage onto his lap and with his free arm holds Green close. He rubs Greens shoulderblade to help relax Green.

"Sorry about him. Just don't talk to him about that." Leo shakes his head as he smiles softly. "I'm sorry about that, I really shouldn't be rude either." He turns to Ink. "I really should be thanking you!" Ink's eye lights change to exclamation marks as Dream, Error, Blue, Dust, Cross, and Green's eye lights turn to him.

"Me? Why me?" Leo softly chuckles as he blushes a soft orange with a royal blue at the edge.

"W-well for one thing. Even if it didn't make sense to me at the time, but thank you for trying to protect my Au years ago. I am grateful for you trying." Everyone stops talking and turns to Leo. Leo looks around with his one save-star eye light in confusion. Green sits up and looks at Leo with confusion and Sage stares up at Leo with sleepy curiosity. "What?"

Ink's eye lights change again to question marks as he furrows his eyebrow ridges. "What? When did... Hold on." Ink grabs the edge of his scarf and starts to scan his scarf. He looks back up with even more confusion as his eye lights change back into a blue circle and a yellow star. "Nope. I didn't write anything down."

Dream thinks for a moment. "Maybe it wasn't Ink?" Leo lets out a hum.

"Well, I just assumed since I saw the small puddle of Ink I spilled take form." Ink thinks for a moment before looking back down at his scarf he flips it over before looking back up at Leo.

"That was you?!" Everyone looks at Ink.

"Kiki, What are you talking about?" Error grabs the end of Ink's scarf. Cross looks over Error's shoulder as well to look at the small note written on the scarf. Ink stares at Leo with a smile.

"Well a while ago, I thought someone had summoned me in this new Au, but no one was there when I got there." Leo chuckles with a small smile.

"Yeah, I had spilled my bottle of ink while I was eating and drawing. So, I went to go get something to clean it, but when I came back someone was there looking around." Leo starts to chuckle. "And eating the small number of strawberries I had left there." Ink blushes a rainbow and Dream chuckles.

"Ink! You didn't!" Cross looks at Ink before laughing.

"I was hungry, and I didn't think anyone was eating them!" Error smiles as he rolls his eyes in amusement.

"He did learn from the best. Isn't that right, Error?" Error turns to Cross with a 'hey!'

Leo laughs and Sage chuckles softly as well. Green smirks from under his mask as Leo reaches into his robes' sleeve and pulls out a small flask of sunlight. He holds it for a moment and sadly smiles at it before taking a small sip from it. Ink's eye lights catch onto the flask and he gasps.

"Wait! Wait! Is that, that really good tasting drink?!" Leo snorts. Green looks at Leo as Sage crawls her way onto Green. Everyone turns to Leo.

"'Good tasting drink'?" Blue looks at the flask with a hint of amusement and wonder.

Dream looks at the small flask before turning to Nightmare. Nightmare makes eye contact and nods. He also feels the soft hint of negativity coming from the three of them, but one felt more like grief. They both turn back to Leo. Leo looks down at the small flask and rubs his thumb over it.

"Yeah, after seeing Ink the first time I had left. But when I came back, there was a painting left there. It was so pretty, so I had left some money there to pay for it." Error snorts.

"Is that why you came to me with that strange money?" Ink nods.

"Anyways, When I saw another painting there, I thought about how Ink had eaten my berries. So I went home and brought some food instead. If Ink found peace enough to paint then maybe food would be better." Dream and Blue's eye sockets go wide. Blue sits up immediately. 

"So you're the one who made those pancakes?!" Cross's eye sockets widen as well as he sits up. Leo fidgets from the attention before smiling sheepishly.

"Dude, those were good!"

Leo blushes a bright orange as Dream, Blue, and Cross start to shower him in praises. Ink smiles as he fills in the others about him sharing the pancakes with them. Error nods and Nightmare drools a little. He remembers how much his brother would rant to him about the pancakes that Ink would bring home. How Dream brought him one while it was still hot. He remembers how light and fluffy it was, and how sweet it was to the point of not needing anything else on it. Killer smiles at Nightmare as Nightmare gets lost in remembering how good the pancakes where. Green smiles at Leo as Leo silently begs for help before looking down at Sage. He smiles at the smaller one being asleep. Error steps back in.

"Wait wait. You still haven't explained what Ink was talking about in the first place, the drink." 

"Oh. right." Leo looks back down at it as everyone calms back down. They want to hear the rest of the story. "W-well. When I was bringing food, I thought about if he would be thirsty, and I had some aged sunlight with me-"

"Wait what?" Leo turns to Dream with confusion. Everyone else looks just as confused.

"What?"

"Did you say 'Aged sunlight?'" Leo looks at Blue and nods.

"Yes." He holds out his flask. "That's what this is," he pulls it back, "w-well, this is a sunlight and coffee mix. so it isn't pure. Why what's wrong?" Leo looks around as they all stare at him. Green leans forward and grabs the flask once he makes sure that Sage is holding on tightly. He pulls down his mask before taking a sip and handing it back to Leo. The motion looks a wrong and Blue wonders why he didn't use his other hand to help him. Green shutters a little.

"Stars, that's like an energy drink mixed with coffee." Leo looks at Green in confusion.

"An energy drink?" He looks back at his flask. "No, it isn't. It's like a mocha coffee with extra milk. 'Cause normal sunlight tastes like hot chocolate. Add coffee to that and it tastes like a hot mocha. Right?" Ink recoils back.

"No... It tasted fruity." Everyone looks at Leo as Leo thinks for a moment. His eye sockets go wide as he hits his forehead. 

"Oh!" He looks at Ink. "So I gave you the really good stuff! Heh, Sunlight tastes different depending on where you come from, where you get it, and when you drink it. The sunlight I would leave for you was from the little berry garden in the castle where..." Leo's face drops and he looks down at the flask. ~~_"COME ON BROTHER! IF YOU'RE GOING TO LAY INT THE SUNLIGHT, AT LEAST LAY IN BED WITH YOUR STAR! HE IS GOING TO BE YOUR_~~ He gulps softly. Everyone looks at him with worry and confusion as he sighs. Nightmare and Dream look at each other again. "Where w-I... used to live. I am the only one that can touch pure sunlight since." He takes another sip. "Well, the sunlight I gave Ink was from the berry garden and had aged for a long time. That's why it tasted so good and fruity." He takes another sip as silence falls over everyone.

"W-well, it was really good! I liked it!" Leo snorts.

"Really? Well... I can make you some fresh sunlight if you guys want to try it." Green rolls his eyes.

"As long as you don't drink it all or even eat the leftover flames, then sure." Sage nods in agreement and Leo blushes. 

"I'll try it." Dream looks at Leo and Nightmare nods in agreement. The rest agree and Leo nods. 

"Alright then, give me a moment to find the right spot and I'll call you guys over." He stands up and puts the flask back into his sleeve. Green gives him a thumbs up and Leo walks outside. Green watches him leave before sighing and pulling off his hood.

"...Sorry about that. He tends to get a little... quieter when talking about his past." Nightmare nods.

"I would think so, being the only being left in his world." Everyone other than Dust, Error, and Killer turn to Nightmare. 

"W-what?" Green's eyes widen as he holds Sage a little closer. Nightmare looks down at his sleeves.

"Well, I saw his Au. I was there when _it_ happened. And before you ask, I won't tell you since it isn't my place to tell. It was just... sad. So much negativity." Everyone falls quiet before the ring of Green's phone breaks the silence.

"Hello?"

"DUDE! YOU'VE GOT TO COME TO SEE THIS!" Green pulls the phone away from his skull quickly as the yells of Leo can be heard by everyone else. Killer and Dust snort at Green's misfortune. "Since you always know where I am, HURRY THE FUCK UP AND GET EVERYONE OVER HERE BEFORE I EAT ALL OF IT!" 

"Alright. Alright. We're coming." Green ends the call with a grumble.

"Are you okay?" Dream snickers a little as Green nods and grabs a piece of everyone's jacket with one hand.

Sage moves onto Green's back and smiles at them before Green teleports over to Leo. Green opens his eyes to see Leo running around with his sleeves and top cloak and sashes on the ground. Leo lets out a loud laugh as he runs in the sunkissed grassy area. They all turn to Green who smiles. "He always does this in the sunlight." They watch as Leo smiles and twirls around in a dance only he knows. Sage smiles and pokes Green. Green looks at Sage and nods. "True, we haven't seen him like this for a long time." Error and Killer raise their eyebrow ridges at the interaction before turning back to Leo. Leo continues to dance, but it looks wrong.

Like it wasn't meant for only one person to do. 

As he dances, Blue and Dream notice the small scars, dents, and incorrectly healed fractures littering Leo's upper humerus, ulna, and radius. Dream covers his mouth as Leo continues his dance before stopping. He looks up at the sun and smiles brightly before spinning around once more. Then he stops and bows at the sun as thanks for the dance. Tears build and fall from the corners of his eye sockets. He reaches up and covers the right eye socket. feeling the slightly rough, blue scar that caused his blindness in that socket. His smile falters slightly before he shakes his head. He notices Green and the others and smiles as he runs over to them. He smiles and nods.

"This is the spot. I can feel it. There are a few berry bushes over here and a few roses! A-and marigolds. This is the best place for sunlight, I'm sure of it!" Green smiles.

"Alright then, do you want to make sure?" Leo nods and walks away just a few steps. Green turns to the others, "Watch this." 

They watch as Leo slowly brings his arms up to the sun. He smiles at the sun and says something they can't hear before cupping his hands together and making a soft scooping motion. He brings his hands down to his mouth and drinks from his hands. Soon a golden liquid, thick like honey, starts to overflow from his hands. He drinks a little more before lifting his hands back up, he tilts his head up before uncupping his hands. The golden liquid flows into his empty socket and after a few moments, he cups his hands together before bringing them back down and drinking the rest of it. He then lowers his head down to his hands and smiles before coming back to the group. The group gasps in awe as the once empty socket us filled with a golden liquid that glows. Leo starts to give off heat as he twirls around. Green smiles and Sage giggles softly.

"So? How does it look?" 

Dream blinks and suddenly, Leo looks differently. He looks... younger. He no longer has a scar, and his eyes are brighter. The star-shaped eye lights are a beautiful golden. Leo's bones are smooth and free of scars. The strange mark on his face glows a soft blue. He's wearing a small crown made of gold in the shape of a halo dripping a veil down his back. He looks so happy. He's wearing a red to yellow top that leaves his shoulders and upper part of his ribcage free. With a small rope belt tied a little above his waist. leading to his red to deep purple pants. An orange to yellow sash goes from the small pendant in the middle of the top to his back, dropping over his left arm sleeve. A small embroidered patch on his chest as well as a soft blush on his cheekbones. The glow of his soul is barely noticeable from under the top but still bright. It glows like a sunrise. He looks ready for a wedding.

His wedding.

Dream blinks again and suddenly it's gone. He looks around and no one else saw it until he makes eye contact with Nightmare. Nightmare saw something too, but just not what Dream saw. When he blinked he saw Leo in armor.

War armor.

He was wearing a broken, melted helmet covering some of the left sides of his face while the rest was melted off. His right eye light was shattering and breaking off into nothingness and his scar was fresh. He was crying golden orange tears as a golden ooze was coming from different fractures and cuts. His spear, now a trident, broken at the tips. The spear itself is covered in blood and dust. The bottom of his boots was caked with blood and dust. Leo was wearing a pair of broken glasses, and space themed scarf torn beyond repair around his neck. Fresh blood on his fingers and around his mouth. His small mark on his cheekbone glowing a warning red as flames starts to blow off of him. There's a red and golden wound over his chest plate oozing even more golden blood. His soul glowing a bright sunrise with blotches of red covering it. Nightmare blinks and it's gone. He looks around and no one else saw it, but he makes eye contact with Dream and notices that Dream saw something as well. 

Leo smiles before nodding, "Alright, let me gather some sunlight for you guys. Green, you know what to do."

Green nods and eleven beautiful glass wine glasses appear. He motions for everyone to take one, and they do. They watch as Leo turns around and walks towards the center of the small garden, Green leads them to follow. As he walks, Leo's robes change. They glow a bright yellow, and suddenly it's like looking at a star. His robes become like a light yellow tunic with a fur train clasped together by two golden strings and a crown of a golden chain with the same strange mark that on his cheek as a charm dangling down between his eyebrow ridges. His phalanges become a white line of light connect to small dots that look like stars. He turns to look over his shoulder and smiles lovingly at Green and Sage. Everyone gaps at Leo before he starts to twirl over the marigolds, using his magic to carry himself over the flowers. He dances as he moves through the flowers and berries, and flames build around him. He hums a soft tune as he continues before slowing his dance down and moving back toward the group. Right before the flames could burn them, he disperses them. He grabs one of the lingering flames and eats it as he reaches up and pulls down some pure sunlight. He lets it run through his stars and light before Green comes close. He smiles before Green places the cup near Leo.

"It's ready. Fresh sunlight." Green nods and Leo pours the golden liquid into Green's glass. One by one, the rest come up to fill their glass. Leo finishes it off from his hands before his robes change back. He smiles at them one more time as his right socket empties again. "Well, I think this is the best I've made for a while." Sage smiles as she takes a sip and nods. Green follows suit and his eyes widen.

"Wow! This is the best sunlight I've had! I think I prefer fresh sunlight to aged." Leo rolls his eyes with a cheeky smile.

"You always say that." **_~~Flowey. I know you only like it when I make it, and you only like it when I make it fresh for you. I know you love it with a hint of marigold." He smiles as he looks down at his friend whose mouth is covered with extra sunlight. "Really? Oh come on, how did you make such a mess? W-wha?! You even got it on the ceiling!~~_** Leo falters for a moment as he smiles at the memories he had. He hasn't made sunlight with marigolds since.

Dream and Cross smile at each other before taking a sip. Both of their eyes widen at the taste and hums in euphoria at the taste. Error takes a sip before chugging the rest of it. Ink drinks it before squealing in joy at the taste. Nightmare takes a small sip before taking a bigger sip. He smiles up at Killer as Killer looks and sniffs at his glass. Killer takes a sip before, like Error, chugging the rest of it. Blue looks around before drinking some and then quickly finishing his. Dust chuckles and slowly drinks his, to savor it. Blue looks at Dust and smiles.

"It's so good!" 

"Yeah! It's amazing!"

"Does this mean that you made the ones you left for me?" Leo chuckles.

"Well, thank you. And yeah, I made the first couple thermoses of sunlight, but then I was giving you bought sunlight." ~~**_Because that was all I could handle since the baby would take my magic. The baby. My baby. My beautiful baby was taken before they could even lay in or taste my sun's light. My sun. My star, my love. I miss you so._**~~ Leo stutters in his movement before grabbing some more sunlight from the sky. NIghtmare and Dream both catch the despair that came from Leo as he drinks more sunlight.

"What's the difference between the sunlight you gave us and the type you're drinking?" Leo turns to Blue with a soft smile. 

"Well, that one is purified through my stars. As well as the taste reflects whatever my light and stars touch. While this is sunlight at it's purest. It's too hot for you to drink. It doesn't have another taste other than sweetness. Like honey." Blue nods and looks around before freezing. He pulls on Dust's sleeve.

"What is it Blu- WHAT IS THAT?!" Everyone turns to where Ink is standing and Ink turns around to see a portal behind him.

"Huh?!" Ink starts to be sucked into the portal but tries to fight against it. "R-Ruru?!"

Error tries to help but another portal opens from behind them and starts to suck the others into it. Ink's stance weakens and he gets sucked in at the same time as Error gets sucked into the other portal. As the portals close silence falls over the area.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From the dark a figure smiles. 

"It's time. Time for them to know."

"Please, no. Not them. Take me, do anything to me, but not them. Please."

"Shush." A knife is plunged into the second person's side. "Quiet down please, I'm in charge now. I'll be leading now, not you."

A laugh rings out as the second person slumps to the ground with a whimper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH! DUn DuN dUn! WHose that at the ending of this? Just as a heads up, this was a lot longer than anticipated so, if you like music, long-ish chapters, backstory, and Angst? Keep reading...
> 
> Once I update.  
> No schedule just yet. I don't think I'll have one, but yet, so just keep checking.


	2. Watch me, it's time to play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the second part of the prologue of the song fics. It's time to put at least a face to the voice. As well as raise the stakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Try and see what the other unknown two are a stand-in for! There are two answers! Let's see if you can catch onto it! So I have a question, do you want me to continue to only post one chapter here at a time? Or do you want me to post at least 1 chapter of Leo's past as you wait? Let me know! Just as a heads up, if I post Leo's story at the same time, then updates will have bigger gaps between. Also, the next chapter will have the reference photos you need for Leo, Sage, and Green! And if you want more art, I'll be willing to post some! Just let me know!

“Ugh. That hurt."

"Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Dream! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, oh! Thank you, Cross!"

"Nighty? Are you okay?"

"Mm... Yeah, I think so."

"Oof. This hurts like a-"

"Ow! Sage! Don't grab me there! That hurts!... Okay, I forgive you. Now, where are we?"

"Dunno yet, Greenie."

"Kiki! My Kiki! Where is my Kiki?!"

Error sits up quickly and everyone else follows. Green quickly makes sure that his cloak in place before looking to see if anyone saw it. Sage clings to Green's side before he picks her up. Dust side-eyes Green before holding Blue close to him. Nightmare looks around as he adjusts his crown. He makes his way to a wall and puts a hand against it. Leo walks over to Green and Sage and holds them close before kissing them softly on top of their skulls. Killer follows Nightmare while watching Error. Error runs around the room trying to find a way out. Leo frowns at him before shaking his head. _I'm in no place to judge. I know what I did afterward. Nightmare does too._ Leo sighs softly before making his way over to Error. 

"Hey- uh... Error? It's okay. Ink is strong. I know he'll be okay." **_T;h#t"s W#@t Y()o s@!d ab)(!~ Gr!((b|?! /-\ n|) |_0()K @t |-|!M |\|()W._ ** Leo flinches back as tears fill his eye sockets. "W-what?"

Error turns to Leo in confusion. "What?" Leo covers his mouth and looks at Error in horror and anger.

"Y-You said-" Leo looks down at the ground as tears start to slowly fall. "H-How do you?! W-why did you say that?!"

"Huh? Leo, are you okay?" Blue comes close but Leo smacks his hand away with a soft growl before glaring at Error.

"How dare you!" Everyone looks at Leo in confusion and worry. "How could you?! How dare you say his name! You don't know anything about him!”

"Who?" Blue grabs onto Leo as he starts to cry and tries to punch Error. Sage frowns in sadness, Leo doesn't do this often. And when he does, Leo usually tries to hide from them.

"Error didn't that. I did." Everyone looks toward the wall to see a screen. All they see a kitsune mask and a headset. The mask looks down at Leo. Leo seethes in anger as he starts to thrash as Blue and Dream comes to help and try to hold him back.

"HOW COULD YOU! _YOU HAVE_ **_NO IDEA_ ** _WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR ME AND OUR KINGDOM! HOW DARE YOU INSULT HIM! HOW DARE YOU! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, YOU'LL BE NEEDING A HELPER TO DO EVERYTHING FOR 10 YEARS! I'LL SHATTER EVERY BONE IN YOUR BODY! I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY WITH THIS! I'LL!_ I'LL DUST YOU! OVER AND OVER And over. and over." Leo goes limp in Dream and Blue's arms as everyone stares in horror and worry. Sage and Green make their way over to Leo as Sage tries to heal him. Green holds Leo’s head in his lap.

"It won't work. Healing him, I mean." Green turns and glares at the screen.

"What did you do!?!"

"Relax. He's sleeping. I couldn't handle that insufferable yelling. He needed to shut up. So I did it for him." Green sweats in nerves and horror as he holds Leo close. Sage whimpers softly and holds onto the two of them. Error turns to the screen.

"Where is my Kiki?! Give him back to me!"

"Oh. Right. You're here. I think this belongs to you." 

From the screen comes a small heart. Everyone’s magic goes deathly still and cold as a familiar soul floats to Error. Cross gasps at the soul and tears up. That’s his brother’s soul. That soul is his brother’s. 

_“Look look! Bro look! I finally got one!” Cross turns around in surprise. He turns around to see his little brother holding his soul out to him. Cross stares in wonder at the white soul with black streaks or what look like tattoos. The small little rainbow paint splatters over it as well. The soft rainbow glow it gives off as Ink stares at it in wonder. “One just for me. A soul… one just for me.”_

_“Ink?”_

_Ink looks back up at him with tear-filled sockets and smiles widely. “I got one. I finally got one. Now I can feel on my own! Isn’t that wonderful?” Cross smiles softly before wiping the tears from Ink’s cheekbones as Ink raises his eyebrow ridge_

_“You’re crying.”_

_“I am?” Ink brings his hand to his face and feels the tears. “Oh. I don’t know why I’m crying. I’m not sad.”_

_“Ink, you’re just extremely happy. These aren’t tears you cry when you’re sad, these are happy tears.” Ink smiles._

_“Oh. Okay. That’s interesting.” He smiles before blushing. “I’m going to go show Error.” Cross frowns as an overprotective brother, but this is his brother’s first experience with love. He approves, mostly._

Cross’s tears flow down his skull and Dream rubs his back. “My little bro.” 

Error shakily reaches out to the soul and cups his hands. The soul floats over and hovers in his hands. Error stays silent as he stares at the soul, his hands shake softly as Sage makes her way over to him silently. She gently holds her hands out and smiles softly and sadly at him.

“h-heal.” She softly whispers to Error and almost everyone’s eye sockets widen. Sage hasn’t spoken before in the time they've known her. Sage looks back up at Error before looking back at Ink’s soul. “Heal.”

“...Okay.” Error slowly hands Sage Ink’s soul. Sage smiles sadly at Error before her hands light up with green magic. Sage slowly heals the small cracks on the soul before handing it back to Error.

“How do you know how to heal souls?”

Sage turns to Green and stares for a while before Green nods and turns to Error. “She says that it’s like wearing green healing glasses and green healing gloves. You see the wounds through the glasses and cover them with the green gloves. That will heal souls, along with your intent. You must stay calm and kind. Keep a level head and want to heal them with all your intent.”

“Oh.” Sage smiles at Error before heading back to Green and sitting down with them.

“Are you done yet? No? Good. Now.” Everyone is suddenly pushed into a chair and strapped down. Error is strapped by his upper arms as he holds Ink's soul close. “I want entertainment. This is my domain, and you are my puppets. I want to be entertained. So, I will play with my favorite toy, Ink. And you will be helpless to watch, and maybe sometimes I will grab another toy from this toy box. This is your duty to me, as a creator.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
“N-no. Please, don’t do this. This isn’t your world.” 

A grunt is heard as a figure tries to crawl over to the bunny mask.

“L-leave them a-alone. D-don’t you hurt them.” They reach the mask and gasp for breath.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Quiet.” The mask looks down before a thud is heard and a soft grunt. “I’m not done with you just yet.” A thud is heard before a sharp sound of pain. “Now. It’s my turn to play and you get to watch me. This will be fun.” The screen goes black and everyone is left. Some in dread, some in worry, and some of them were left confused about who the Kitsune mask was talking to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
“I’m sorry Ink. I can’t protect you like this.”

“Shut up.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I said- SHUT UP!” A thud is heard in the dark as a body slides against the floor. “It’s my turn to play and I’m bored with you.”

“T-they aren’t toys.”

“Yes, they are. MY toys. MY rules. MY space. They are only things that I can control for my amusement and entertainment. Watch me.”

"I'm sorry."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I should probably point out that Sage, Leo, and Green have a relationship together. However, it isn't romantic, it's more like a family bond. They take care of each other. Really cause, Leo and Green had partners that they don't want to leave behind, and Sage just isn't looking for love. Again, their stories will be told later though this work and their actual stories. It's quite sad for the three of them, just as a heads up.


	3. Ready or not, it's time to play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song used: Like it or Not by Cg5. Let's start this shizz!

“Ugh.” Ink slowly picks himself up from the black floor. He looks to the right and then the left. “H-hello? Ruru?” 

He coughs up ink as his body’s form warbles a little before grunting in the effort. He puts his hand to his rib cage as his form destabilizes and becomes a puddle of ink. Something is wrong, and he can feel it. He doesn’t want to get out of the safety of being a puddle but he has to. It takes a few moments before his body becomes stable and he rises from the puddle disoriented. He raises a hand to his skull as he sways. Something is wrong here, he hasn’t been able to become a puddle since...

“Ruru?” Focus on the task at hand, Ink. Find Error.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
“Kiki!” Error struggles against the binds as he tries to keep Ink’s soul safe in his hands.

“Ink!” 

Cross struggles against his bindings as well. The rest watch in worry as the artist stumbles and sways. Dream winces as he hits the ground a little too hard, but smiles when he sees Ink get back up. Leo finally wakes up and Green fills him in quietly as they keep their eyes on the screen. Leo’s eyes soften in worry as he watches the artist. Dream and Blue try to use their magic, but it won’t work. Nightmare holds onto Killer’s hand and squeezes it gently, and Killer returns the squeeze. 

“He seems stable right now.” Blue lets out a sigh of relief as he watches Ink kneel and look around. Sage looks over at Error as Dust watches the screen.

“no.” Error looks over and Sage nods at the soul before her eye lights flicker back to Error’s face. “heal.” 

Error looks back at the soul and notices the soft cracks growing deeper. “I-! d0n’T kn0w HoW!” Sage only nods with soft eyes. She closes her eyes and moves with her hands. 

“calm. green heals.” Error takes a breath in.

“R1ght right. Green glasses and gloves.”

“calm with all intent.” 

Error nods as he slowly starts to heal Ink’s soul. His hands glow green as he closes his eye sockets and Cross’s eye sockets widen. Dream gasps in awe as he watches. Blue looks before looking back at the screen to watch Ink. Green and Sage smile before turning back around. They will hold onto their hope for their friend. May the one that took him, have mercy on him. Or Ink to have mercy on them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Huh?” Ink looks down at his arms and hands as he feels them healing. He stands up and starts to walk around. “Hello? Dream? Noot noot? Killer?” He stops before frowning. He looks around more before continuing to walk around. “Bro? Blue? Dust? Ruru?”

He continues to look around as he walks around. Something isn’t right here, he can feel it in his… well, wherever his soul is. As he walks around, blood-red strings follow him. While Ink can’t hear the yells of his friends to turn around, he can only feel the worry from Error. He doesn’t know where he feels Error, but he just feels Error. He starts to pick up the pace by reflex before the strings wrap around Ink’s arms and wrists. 

“Huh?!” Ink takes one look at the strings before his eye sockets widen in recognition. “No! No!” He struggles against the strings as more wrap around his joints. “Damnit! No! Not you!”

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t my favorite toy?” Ink looks up at the figure walking over to him and glares.

“You.” The figure laughs.

“Well! You don’t sound too pleased to see me again.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ink knows them?” Error looks at the screen before looking back at Ink’s soul. Cross does as well. _Well, they don’t say that the soul is more honest for no reason_.

“Well, he isn’t a fan of whoever that is.” Error watches as Ink’s soul rhythm starts to become more frantic as Ink gets pulled along by the figure in the Kitsune mask. “He’s scared. Or nervous. Not as angry as he looks.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So, uh. Are you planning on letting me go anytime soon?”

“No. I want to play. I want entertainment.” Ink’s breath hitches as he stutters for a moment.

“No, no way. I’m not playing your games again. I don’t like them. They always either hurt or make me destabilize. I’m not playing again.” 

“Aw, Inky! But you’re my favorite!” They make a throwing motion and the strings follow causing Ink to go flying. Once he hits the ground with a grunt, the Kitsune mask steps onto Ink’s rib cage. A few cracks are heard as he cries out in pain. “And I don’t care what you think. You’re a toy. A doll. A sketch. A doodle. A failed one.” Ink freezes as tears fill his eye sockets. They pull him up and wipe his tears. “Aw. Don’t cry. That will only make things worse for you. Now, stop crying.” Ink thinks for a moment before grinning. He spits at their mask.

“Ha! You can’t play with me anymore! I have a soul! Meaning if I die, I die for good this time!” He tries to kick them. “And I know how much you love your precious toys! You wouldn’t risk it.” He levels his stare at the mask as his eye lights change to a red target and a red triangle

Kitsune only sighs before tsking. “Oh. You never learn, do you? I am a God. Do you understand me, toy? You dull, sad, pathetic creature. I can do whatever I damn well, please! I don’t listen to you, and you cannot command me to do anything. Meaning, if I wanted to take away your precious new soul, I can. Don’t forget that this is MY world, Ink. I make the rules for our games, and you will obey.” Ink’s eye sockets widen as his eye lights shift again. 

“P-please. Not again.” He softly shakes, and the confusion of his friends grow. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Again? What does he mean by again?” They all look around at each other to try and see if anyone knows something. Green’s eye lights vanish as he sits deathly still.

“Green?” Leo turns to him. “Do you know anything about this?”

“How would he know? He hasn’t known Ink that long!” 

“Leo… you know Wishes?” Leo side eyes him. They only use that name when it’s serious.

“Yes, what about it?” Green leans in closer to Leo.

“Wishes always sees what caused the want of a person’s or monster’s wish. Wishes knows something that he should not know.” Leo pales as he stares at Green. Green leans back with a bead of sweat on his skull.

“No… That’s not right… is it?”

Everyone else stares at them in confusion as Leo stares at nothing and shakes. He can’t answer anything nor hear anything. Green just shuts down and Sage stares at them with worry.

“How could they do that to a child?” Leo starts to seeth in anger and Sage calms him down. He can only look at the screen in a tired worry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Oh Inky. Don’t you feel it? I already did, but I didn’t destroy this one. No, I’m letting someone else hold onto it. So, I can kill you as many times as I want. And you can’t do a single thing about it.” Ink begins to shake in fear as he cries. Soon enough, he’s pulled into another area with two other figures stringed up as well. They slowly raise their heads to look at Ink. The bunny masks look sad. One of them coughs as the other one grunts.

“Ink! I-I’m sorry. I t-tried to s-stop them.” Ink shakes his skull as his body starts to shake in fear.

“It’s okay. I know you tried.” The other looks down.

“Ink. They want entertainment. Meaning music. Just know that whatever we do when we play her game, we-”

“Never meant to do…” Ink nods as they make eye contact. “I know.” Ink looks up and away from the other. “I know. I’ve played enough games with them to know.”

Kitsune walks up to them with what Ink can assume is a smile. “Welcome to the show.” They mockingly bow down in front of Ink. “And like it or not, it's time to play my game.” They grab his cheekbones and tilt his head up. “Let's play my game.” Ink’s strings drop him to the ground and he catches onto the idea. _It’s a game of cat and mouse._ Ink gets up as quickly as possible and starts to run. “I don't want you to go.” A string wraps around Ink and he stops. “'Cause like it or not, you'll never be the same.” They use the string to fling Ink back into the ground near them. “Let's play a game! (Let's play it)” The strings around the red bunny mask tighten as half the mask changes to a Kitsune shape.

“1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Do you think you can survive?” They grunt out as they try to break the strings.

“Survive?” The other one echos with a soft sob.

“This was all a lie! 'Cause your story ends tonight!” The red mask moves jerkily as the strings force them to move to grab onto Ink.

“And like it or not, we'll never be the same.” The green bunny sniffles as they move to hold onto Ink’s other arm. Ink growls before getting loose. He starts to run in a zig-zag way to avoid the strings taking hold of him.

“Don't run away!” The strings wrap around him and pull him back. “Just come to play! No fun for you today. This is what I have to say.” The strings tighten around Ink and cut so deep that they draw ink.

“Go! And run away! Don’t come to play! This is what we have to say.” The other two fight against their strings before slumping forward as they are moved to either side of Ink.

“You're stuck here every day! Every day!” The Kitsune mask laughs as Ink looks to the left and right.

“On my left and my right, I'm seeing quite the sight.” He hangs his skull in shame. “Don't wanna be a baby about this, but I'm probably gonna die.” He shakes as his hand starts to become ink again. “Feeling trapped and broken and traumatized. I just want to stay alive.” He focuses and his hand becomes solid again. The Kitsune mask tilts Ink’s skull up and forces him to make eye contact.

“On your left and your right, they want to pick a fight.” The mask turns to look at the two others before returning their attention to Ink. “But they don't know the truth about themselves. No, they never realized. Nothing more than little children, they are.” They growl at Kitsune and Kitsune tightens the strings around them even more.

“Give up your games! They don't belong to you!” The green bunny whimpers as their blood start to pool underneath them.

“Don't run away. Just come to play! No fun today. This is what I have to say!” Ink grunts and turns sharply to tangle the strings above him. He causes the strings to give him enough slack to jump up and around Kitsune. They wrap around them tightly before Ink sharply twists again and successfully breaks the strings. He lets out a huff before starting to sprint away from them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Go Ink! Run!” Dream and Blue cheer on their friend as they watch him dodge the strings coming from different angles. 

“Come on bro! Keep dodging! You can find a way out, I know it!”

“Come on, Kiki.” Error feels Ink’s soul pulse with adrenaline and hope. He stares down at it and then back at the screen. Dust, Killer, and Nightmare all frown. _They’re playing with him and he knows it. It’s only a matter of time until-_

“Ink!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ah!” Ink slips as a string trips him and he goes sliding against the floor. He lands with a grunt before pushing himself back up only to see Kitsune walking up to him. He grits his teeth and stands up.

“Don't run away! Just come to play! This is what I have to say!” Kitsune sends more strings out and Ink grabs them before they could wrap around him. He spins around in a circle, gathering speed and force as Kitsune tries to stay still but the force of Ink pulling pulls them. Ink waits before letting go of the strings and flinging Kitsune in a different direction. He smiles with a sigh of relief before starting to run away.

“You're stuck here every day. Everyday!” Ink grunts as a pair of arms pull him down. He turns around to see the green bunny pinning his left leg down to the ground. He tries to kick them off but turns to see another pair of arms pinning his right leg down to the ground as well.

“Eh?!”

“You're stuck here every day! Everyday!” The red bunny echos with a grunt as Ink thrashes against them. Ink gasps at the pair of boots in front of him and looks up. His eye lights shrink to pinpricks as he shakes softly in fear. The mask, at the angle, smiles down at Ink.

“Welcome to the show,” they step on Ink’s femurs and hear a noticeable crunch from both. Ink lets out a yelp of pain. “And like it or not, it's time to play a game.” 

They hoist Ink up with extra strings. They smile at Ink as they walk behind and above him. They wrap the strings around their fingers and pull. The two bunnies go flying higher than what the others can see. Ink’s eye sockets fill with tears as Kitsune stands right behind him and lifts his skull.

“Let's play a game.” 

Ink whimpers softly as his legs slowly lose their form and become nothing but ink. In pain, he watches as his legs become nothing but a puddle under him. The rest of the group watches in horror as Kitsune seems to turn to them and wave.

“The games have only just begun. I’ll want another toy soon.”

Ink gulps before letting go of a shaky breath. “N-no. Please, leave them alone. They can’t play your games. AH!” Ink’s right arm loses it’s form and joins the rest of the ink on the floor as he whimpers out in pain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“And you can?!”

“Damnit Ink! Don’t think about us for once, think about yourself!”

“Error, heal him!”

“Error can’t! He’s panicking!”

“Why hasn’t he dusted yet? How hasn’t he dusted?”

Error shakes and continues to glitch uncontrollably as he focuses on the screen. He doesn’t notice when the restraints release them. Sage comes running over to him and gently takes the soul from him, making sure not to touch it or him, and starts to push healing magic into it. Leo runs over to Error. Dust, Killer, Nightmare, and Green hurry over as well. Dream, Cross, and Blue try to find a way out quickly.

“Error,” Leo grabs Error's face and forces him to look at him. “Look at me, Error. Look at me, no don’t look over there. Focus on me, alright? I know you’re scared. I know that it hurts to see your loved one in pain, and hurt and knowing that you can’t do _anything to help ease the pain or take it away_. But- damn it, focus on me! I need you to breathe with me, alright? Take a deep breath in, yes, like that.” Leo helps calm Error down before hugging him close. He presses Error’s face into his shoulder as he gently strokes his skull like he would for Green and Sage. 

Like a parent would for their child.

Green nods as Leo makes eye contact with him before leaving to help find a way out. Leo slowly rocks them side to side as the others watch. Leo turns to them. “I’ve got him. Go help the others find a way out, I’ll stay with him.” They hesitantly nod and leave. Leo continues to slowly rock them, Error continues to take uneven breaths. “It’s okay to be scared Error. Ink is strong. So strong. The way he talked to them, the way he fought back, it proves that he won’t be letting go of his life anytime soon. He’ll fight for you, for them. For all of us. He won’t leave you like this. I know you’re worried, scared, and horrified out of your mind. I was too. I know that you must feel like this was your fault, but it wasn’t. It’s that figure’s (the kid’s) fault. You couldn’t have done anything differently. You may feel like you could’ve, but not in (war) this situation. We’ll find a way out, and it seems that we have help. Those two bunnies?” Error softly nods as he grabs onto Leo’s robes tightly. “Yeah, those two knew Ink, they tried to help him. Meaning that they will help us.” Leo stops talking in preference of humming to Error as he calms down. 

Everyone is silent as they listen to Leo humming and heard what he had said. _‘I was too?’_ What does that mean? They continue to try and find a way out as Error sits up and wipes his tears away. Sage smiles softly at him before handing him back the soul. She softly lets her face fall as she looks at Error. Leo catches on and his smile drops a little. The screen turns back on.

“That was a fun start.”

“You bastard. How could you do that to him?! I’ll-” Leo goes silent and deathly still as his soul is pulled out in front of everyone and they gasp. The pure light yellow had stains of red in it. Determination. He looks up from his soul and to the screen.

“I would suggest that you sit your ass back down. I am a God, I know the way to kill you stars. It wouldn’t be that hard.” Leo falls to the ground with a loud grunt of pain as the hold on his soul tightens. “But I won’t do that.” Leo collapses with loud gasps of relief. “No. I want this to be even more entertaining for me. I want to see the beautiful chaos that I can create. I want to see you three break. So. Here we go. I want to play with my new toys now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the summaries, I won't give much from now on. Mainly just the song used and the artist. I hope you enjoyed! Also, for the art and references, I decided to put them with their own stories so... yeah.


	4. How they burned me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Burned - Grace VanderWaal  
> This is a bit of Leo's past and it is a bit sad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sirius - Papyrus (Sometimes Leo would call him Papy from his font)  
> Gemini - Gaster (Leo's brother)  
> Grillby - Leo's sun (As a heads up, Grillby's flames are more Rosey pink thank normal)

Leo lays on the ground gasping for breath, tears fill his eyes as he grabs the fabric of his sleeves. He sucks in a shuttering breath as he tries not to cry. He doesn’t hear the soft gasps and questions of the others. He feels the familiar heat in the room and starts to silently cry. It’s not real, he isn’t here. They’re all gone. It’s all in his head.

“Leo! Oh, my Leo! What happened to you?” Leo freezes and lets out a pained whine. He doesn’t turn around. It isn’t real. “Leo, why won’t you look at me? It’s me, Grillby.” Leo sits up but still won’t turn around. He wipes his tears.

It. Is. Not. Real.

“No. You’re not real.”

“Leo? Love, I’m right here!” Leo lowers his skull as he grits his teeth.

“Prove it. Tell me something that only my love would know.” It’s silent for a moment. “I knew it. You-”

“Our dance may look silly to others, but it’s ours and I love it.” Leo freezes and brings a hand to his chest as he feels his soul thump with the same feeling he would get around his star. “Just know, I’m with you no matter where you go. I will be with you if there is a sun, I’m right there. I will always love you.” 

Leo’s tears flow down his cheekbones and he brings a hand to his mouth and cries. Sage and Green both look at each other and realize what’s happening. They both smile and tear up. The others look at each other in confusion. Leo finally turns around to see Grillby, Sirius, and Gemini all standing there. Grillby smiles at him as he moves closer to Leo. Leo lets out a sob as he reaches his hands out and cups Grillby’s face. Grillby places his hand over Leo’s and softly chuckles. Leo’s smile shakes as he tilts his head to the side.

“I-i-i saw you… you dusted in my arms! i-i th-thought that i would never see you again!” 

Leo crumbles into Grillby’s embrace and the others gasp. Nightmare, Dust, Killer, and Error all lower their heads. Dream tears up at the mix of positive and negative feelings coming from the two. Blue holds onto Dust. Grillby only holds Leo closer and Sirius and Gemini both come closer and join the hug.

“B-brothers!”

“Hello Leo, I’m So Sorry About Everything That You’ve Been Through.” Leo shakes his skull as he cries. Sirius leans down to scoop Leo up to his height.

“BROTHER, EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY. WE’RE HERE NOW. PLEASE DON’T CRY.” Leo only cries harder as Sirius brings Leo to his shoulder. Leo hides his face in Sirius’s robes. Sirius looks around in confusion. “LEO? WHERE IS MY LITTLE NIBBLING?” Almost everyone’s eyes widen. Gemini looks down in grief as well as Grillby. Leo only holds onto Sirius tighter.

“papy. after you dusted… i lost the baby. you remember when i was pulled?” 

Sirius freezes and just holds Leo closer to him as Leo cries silently into his shoulder. _That’s why he… Oh, Leo what have you been hiding from us?_ Green covers his mouth with his scarf before looking away. _Oh, Leo… Is that why you have that habit? I’m so sorry._ The room is dead quiet as they all heard what Leo just said. Before the screen crackles back to life. On the screen is the green bunny mask. Panting is heard along with light footsteps.

“H-hello? Is this on?” Green stands in front of everyone and Leo hides further into Sirius as Grillby and Gemini stand near him. Sage makes her way over to Error on stand by with her green magic. The green bunny looks around. “I don’t have much time. Ink’s been taken by Kitsune. They’re using him again, and I don’t like this. I bring a warning, they’re bored with him. They want to play with another one of you, a-and I’ll try to hold them off but it won’t be for long. They have more influence than Yellow and me. But, we’ll find a way to get this sorted out again! Keep your guard up. I have to hide.” 

The angle of the camera changes as they continue to run before the screen goes black again. Leo smiles before sinking into Grillby more. He wipes his tears and softly hums in the silence. Error just sits down and holds Ink’s soul even closer. Leo waves Green and Sage over and holds them close to him. Grillby chuckles softly knowing the look that Leo gives them. _Even if you couldn’t have our kids, you have kids now. I shouldn’t be surprised._ Grillby just holds them close and Gemini and Sirius sit down on each side. They watch as the others try to find a way out. The screen flickers back to life and Kitsune looks down at them.

“Well, well, well. Look at this… touching… reunion. How… disgusting.” Leo growls at the screen and Grillby places his hand on Leo's shoulder. "Anyways… It's your turn, Leo. I want to play with you. Not like Ink! No no." 

With a ping, Leo is pulled into the air by his soul. Grillby and Papyrus try to grab him as he's pulled into the screen. Everyone lets out a noise of shock and worry. It was too quick for them to act. They watch the screen as it shows Leo laying in what looks like snow. He groans softly as he picks himself up before grabbing his spear out of nowhere. He growls as he stands up.

"Show yourself!" Leo looks around before gasping in shock.

"Leo!" Everyone shouts as Leo slowly looks down to see three strings, dangerously close to his soul, impaled into his ribcage. He spits out a golden orange liquid as he lowers his gaze at the Kitsune.

"Hmmm… I want the others to see the incident. Or at least a summary of it. So, we need the past you." Leo grabs onto the strings as his face is covered with white pixels. He bursts into flames. Kitsune lets go and turns to the screen. "Enjoy the show."

The flames fill the screen as they hear Leo scream in pain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leo stands up in his war armor. He spits out some blood before wiping the corner of his mouth. He grunts as he continues to fight. His arm guards are covered in dust and golden orange blood. His helmet is scratched up and cracked.

"You tell me that I’m crazy. Fighting in this war at all." He spears another monster in their soul before ripping it out. He tears up as he sees a flash of Sirius in his mind. "You didn’t need to save me." He schools his expression. "Oh, I have now grown." He looks around the battlefield.

His eye sockets widen as he notices Undyne and Asgore go down. He watches as troops take the small camp that Alphys and the others were in as well. He looks around in panic before watching Gemini become locked in battle with the human. He growls as he races over. "I am capable of everything, you can’t see... It now I want to Change.~" 

He slows down as he watches Gemini fall. Gemini makes eye contact and nods with a sad smile before the human rips his soul into pieces too small to find all. He lets out a squeak of pain as he tears up. The human race off and he follows as he starts to shed off flames. Leo gets close before getting stuck in a battle with other monsters.

"Did you just blow out my candle!? Oh, little boy, when will you learn!?" He yells loud enough as he dusts the monster. He looks around. "You don’t play with fire!" His spear changes into his bow as he tries to aim. "Unless you wanna get burned, wanna get burned." His fire-bone arrows fly and hit multiple targets as he changes his bow back to a spear. “You just blew out my candles! Oh, how the tables they’ve turned!” He spots the human and clenches his jaw as he starts to follow. “You don’t play with fire! Unless you wanna get burned, wanna get burned.” 

He knocks another arrow and fires when another monster bumps into him. He grabs the arrow and turns around to stab the enemy. He growls and summons his blasters and Flowey, from his spot near the edge of the battlefield goes to the blasters. He curls around Leo’s pant leg and uses the vines under the ground left by him to trip and squeeze others.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Oh dear Asgore! Is this what you were talking about Nightmare?! Is this what you saw?” Dream turns to his brother in tears. Cross’s eye sockets widen.

“Y-yes. B-but I saw what happened later! Not this part!” Nightmare stares at the screen as he holds onto Killer. 

“I don’t like this! This is his Au?” 

Blue holds onto Dust tightly and tears up. Dust holds onto him firmly. Error watches and doesn’t show anything, he just keeps his main focus on Ink’s soul. Sage whimpers as she cries into Green’s side. Green can’t do anything other than comfort her. He only wishes that he could hold her closer and hide her from the ugly truth of what happened to Leo. Sirius can only tear up as he holds onto Gemini. Gemini only softly cries and Grillby and only watch in awe and confusion as Leo continues to fight. 

“Has he always had those?” Grillby turns to Gemini and Sirius. They both nod.

“He hates using them though. He always said that it’s harder to aim than his spear and arrows.” They watch as he continues to fight and blast with the help of Flowey.

“Old friend, please watch Leo’s back.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 _Somethings are just so crazy._ Leo lets out a grunt as he tumbles to the side. He growls before grabbing the forgotten sword laying next to him and slicing at the other enemies. _Things you’ll never forget._ Memories flash in Leo’s mind of the good days. His eye sockets fill with tears as he continues to blast the enemies that Flowey rounds up. _The thought that I would maybe be saved._ He starts to shed more flames as his armor starts to glow with heat. _That keeps you burning strong._ He lets out a snarl before grabbing his spear and running through the groups of people. Using blue magic to hold and push monsters and humans away from him as runs. _‘Cause I am capable of everything you don’t think. But now I need to change!_ He looks around from where he stands to locate Grillby. He notices the human is fighting him and his flames burn brighter.

“You blew out my candles! Oh, little boy, will you ever learn?! You don’t play with fire! Unless you wanna get burned, wanna get burned.” He makes his way over, fighting off monsters and blocking or dodging attacks. “Blew out my candle! Oh, how the tables they’ve turned! You don’t play with fire! Unless you wanna get burned, wanna get burned.”

He finally makes it close before noticing the human pull out a bucket of water from their pocket. His sockets widen as he notices his lover’s condition, how low and yellow his flames look. He knocks another arrow. The human makes eye contact with him. He glares. The human smiles wickedly. Grillby is tired. He can’t aim well. Leo pulls back his arrow all the way. He fires. They throw the water. The water hits first and a cloud of steam fills the area. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The screen is blocked by steam and everyone is silent. Grillby looks down as he tears up. No one makes a sound before a soul-shattering scream comes from the screen. Everyone tears up as they hear the soft sobs of Leo. 

“im sorry. im sorry. but it’s over now, the human is gone.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leo hiccups before wiping his tears. “Mourn when it’s safe. I’m still in a war. Huh? What is that?” 

_That I see?_ He looks over at the bright yellow and strange-looking star. _Floating right in front of me?!_ He keeps an eye socket on it as he blocks an attack from another monster. _Locked in a fight, try to flee._ He watches in anger and horror as the human comes back from the star. _But now it’s clear to me._ He lets out a scream of anger and pain as he loses his form and his mark glows a bright red. He snares as his form becomes a beautiful rainbow of colored fire before the outside of it becomes a very light blue. The fire lion grows in size as it burns everything in its path. The right eye glows brighter than the rest of it and the symbol on Leo’s cheek appears on the lion’s back. He lets out a roar before shrinking down and chasing after the human, who is now running away. He growls as he pins the human down. His form strengthens again to a skeleton as he twists the human’s arms till they can’t use them anymore. A sharp bone forms in the air and Leo grabs it and stabs one in both legs. He sits on their midsection as he pulls out their soul. 

“You killed all my candles! Oh, little boy, you never learned. You don’t play with fire.” He winces as the light blue mark from his eye burns into his skull. His helmet is melting from the intense heat, leaving metal to drip down his skull. “But I’m already burned, I’m already burned.” He growls as he squeezes the soul. “Killed all my candles! Oh, little boy, you’ll never learn! You don’t play with fire! But you’re already burned, you’re already burned!”

He grabs the soul with his teeth and rips it apart. The human screams out in pain as he continues to rip apart the soul. He accidentally absorbs some of the determined soul trait as he continues to rip it apart. Once he’s done, he pants as blood drips from his mouth and hands. He grabs his spear, now a trident from the amount of magic he exploded out, and shakily stands up. He whimpers as he looks around. 

“There’s no one left.” He winces as he examines his soul. The red splotches surprise him before he notices the small soul shakily floating right next to his. Nestled so close in fear and nerves. He tears up and softly smiles. “h-hello there. I didn’t think I was carrying again.” He wipes his tears. “It’s okay now. We’re safe. Let’s go see if there is anything to eat left in that tent.” He brings the souls back into his chest as he uses his spear as a crutch to limp over to the remains of the tent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grillby covers his mouth and cries softly. Gemini and Sirius comfort each other. Both of Sage’s and Green’s sockets widen in shock and surprise. Nightmare, Killer, Dust, and Error all look down. They know what happened next. Dream and Blue sit there crying and in shock.

“Was he the cause of the amount of power we felt that day?” Dream looks over to nightmare and nods.

“But wait. If he had another soul with him at the time, where is the kid?” Blue asks as he looks around. Nightmare tears up as Dust looks away. 

“Blue… The kid… I don’t think made it. If they did, I don’t think Leo’s group would have been only three.” Green and Sage nod. Blue cries a little harder at the loss of the two kids. Dust turns to Grillby and the others from Leo’s Au. “But, has that happened before?”

“Yes, he usually does it as a sign of respect/trust. I still remember the first time he showed me that.” Grillby softly chuckles. Gemini nods.

“When Leo Was Younger, He Loved Sleeping Like That Around Sirius When Sirius Was A Baby. However, He Was Never That Light Blue Fire, As That Would Be Too Hot For Anything To Survive.” Green and Sage smile at them.

“When we first met, Leo curled around in the night as a fire lion. It wasn’t as hot as I thought it would be, and he kept me warm and safe for the night. When we met Sage, he did the same thing for both of us.” They all nod in surprise and understanding. The screen turns on and the Kitsune mask fills the screen again.

“Here, fix my toy. It’s tired and banged up. I wanna play with it again soon.” A soft fire lion gets thrown through the screen and Grillby rushes to catch him. The screen goes black as well.

“Leo! Oh, my darling Leo.” He holds him close. “He’s so cold! He’s not supposed to be cold!” Sage hurries and starts to use her green magic before collapsing from overuse. Green helps her up. 

“I think Leo has some snacks in his robes and a flask of sunlight.” Grillby nods and Gemini goes over to help as Sirius makes his way over to help Sage. 

“Here, let me help! Ow! He’s hot!” Blue pulls back his hand and shakes it as he looks on. Gemini shakes his head.

“It’s best if you don’t help, Leo is too hot for any of you to touch.” The rest nod and watch in worry as Grillby wakes Leo and gets him to change back. His spear falls to the ground and Grillby sticks his hand into one of Leo’s sleeves and pulls out a flask.

“Drink. It’s good.” Grillby heats it as Leo drinks before he passes out again. And the screen comes back.

“Be ready. I still want entertainment.”


	5. Why feel, when you can be in control?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's the use of feeling? (Blue) By Steven Universe  
> E.T. Control (Steven's Corruption Song) Cover by KittenWispy (On youtube! Give it a listen to!)  
> Heads up! I have a Tumblr where I am posting the chapters and their teasers! While the first four are late teasers, they still hold some clues into the stories and Multiverse in general. So it might be worth looking into! https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/carmelc-ink  
> If the link doesn't work, my username is carmelc-ink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This does give a little insight into the question of what's happening to Ink's body. So to clear up, Ink still has a soul meaning he doesn't need his vials, but it isn't with his body. And these are the effects of that.

Grillby softly taps Leo on the cheekbone. He slowly opens an eye socket and tilts his head at Grillby. Grillby smiles softly as Leo coughs up a little more blood. Leo pushes Grillby’s hand away to look around before noticing Sage on the ground exhausted. He can’t hear or understand what’s going on around him, but one of his cubs needs him. He pushes himself up before grunting as he shakily stands. Someone tries to push him back down and he can feel the bone that feels like Blue’s on his shoulder, but he pushes it off as he stumbles over to Green, Sirius, and Sage. He falls to his knees and softly taps her on her leg. He coughs up a little more blood before she looks up at him. He smiles at her before pulling out a small pouch of tart apple candies, the kind she likes. Her eyes widen as he offers them to her, there are only three so he gives two to her before nodding his head towards Error. She nods and walks over to him. He looks up at her.

“for your magic.” 

He nods and takes it. She walks over to sit back down. Leo coughs up some more blood and tries to keep himself balanced as Grillby finishes lacing the sunlight with healing magic. He walks over to Leo and holds him close before giving it to him to drink. Leo smiles softly before drinking it. Everyone lets out a small breath of relief as he starts to heal, and Gemini shakes his head. _Of Course, Leo Stayed The Same. Others Before Ourselves Has Almost Always Been His Moto._ Sirius sits down next to Grillby and Gemini. 

“T-thank you, my love.” He coughs out before snuggling closer to Grillby. He holds on tightly to Grillby’s robes as he gives a soft labored breath. “i... just. need more rest now.” 

He closes his eyes and falls asleep immediately. The others sigh as they watch him fall asleep before trying to get Error to eat the candy. Sage happily chews on her candies before noticing Error and taps Green. Green notices as well and tsks.

“Error,” Error looks up at him. “If I were you, I would eat that candy. After what Leo saw about Ink, I think he’s going to adopt him as another son. And as his son’s boyfriend, that doesn’t save you from the wrath of Leo when he knows you aren’t doing well.” Error hesitantly nods before eating the candy as Cross holds Ink’s soul. Error’s face scrunches as he eats it and Green chuckles. “I know. It’s quite a taste.”

The screen crackles back to life. And Kitsune looks around in silence as everyone freezes. Grillby holds Leo ever closer as Gemini and Sirius move in front of him. Kitsune lets out what sounds like a laugh. 

“I’m not here for that toy. Not yet. Don’t you want to see Ink?” Error freezes before nodding. Kitsune nods before chuckling. “Oh, Inky~ It’s time to reform!” 

The screen shows a puddle of ink on the ground with red strings in the puddle. The ink trembles as it struggles to take a form. What looks like two arms come up as a sharp gasp is heard. Everyone watches in horror as what looks like a skull made of ink comes out of the puddle next. Kitsune coos gently before kicking the ink. The ink lets out a groan as the two arms seem to harden as Ink's arms. The rest of the ink struggles to hold itself together.

“r-R-ruru.” His voice is weak and Error covers his mouth as he tears up. Cross looks down at his soul only to see no damage. “w-where…” Ink’s upper body finally takes his form but black ink covers his eye sockets. He shakily tries to get up on still ink legs before the red strings pull him up, leaving what would be his legs to drip back into the puddle. “r-ruru. I want you to listen carefully.” He takes a soft breath and everyone is silent. “Run. Don’t look back.” He grunts as the red strings pull even tighter before dropping him back in the puddle.

“Disgusting. Clean up your act. It hasn’t been that long since you died. Pull yourself together or else.” The ink doesn’t move for a moment before quickly forming back into Ink as he sits there breathing heavily. The red strings pull him up and he squeezes his eye sockets closed. “Well?” Ink nods. “Good. Back to the white room.” Ink’s eye sockets blow wide open as he struggles.

“N-No! No white room! Please!” Kitsune only shakes their head as they throw Ink with the strings into a portal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ink holds his skull in his hands as he looks away. Everyone notices that he’s in his old outfit, the one he had on before he changed his design. Tears fill his sockets. “I’m a fraud. I’m a monster!” He shouts while crumbling into a puddle as the white room swallows him.

 _They send me away to find them a fortune._ “This is... so weird!” Ink chuckles out as he looks down at his hands before looking back up at all the figures. Most being Bunnies and foxes. A few Kitsunes as well. He’s happy as he looks around as well as confused. They all seem happy as he looks around at their papers. They hand him a paper and a blank mask as well and watch him in eagerness as he looks down at it. He smiles before the paper becomes an inky coding/ drawing board. He gasps in delight and awe. This is something that only a creator can see and know about. And now he has one too. _A chest filled with diamonds and gold._ A blip on the screen happens and it seems further in the future after that moment where there are more Kitsunes than bunnies.

“I’m! I’m. I’m a creator.” He looks down at his hands in betrayal and pain. He looks up at the others in hatred and pain. The flashes of the very original Blueberry flashes his mind and the screen as tears fill his sockets. How much he changed after the creator restarted. The images of a saddened and upset fox shredding a paper with the word ‘Undeswap’ written on it and the amount of pain he felt when that happened. The images as he watched them piece the paper back together in a completely different way, making the people and his old friend all wrong. Too different than what they were and the tears he shed for his Blue. The anger he felt at the creators showing on his face. _The house was awake, the shadows and monsters._

“T-this. This is the last thing I wanted to see!” He starts to back up away from them. He pulls out his brush and prepares to fight as the multiverse is behind him. He grits his teeth as he paints a lock over the Au’s and turns around. _The hallways, they echoed and groaned_. 

“I don’t wanna be you! I don’t want to be anything like you!” He shouts as he fights them. He fights off the strings and pushes them back as his tears fall behind him. After a while of fighting, he starts to slow down and familiar red strings wrap around him as his sockets widen with fear. _I sat alone, in bed till the morning._

“Don’t hurt me!” He closes his eyes before he steels himself and breaks free. He trembles softly as he runs away into the doodle sphere. He runs into his house, and the others can note that this was in the past based on decorations and lack of Error’s stuff. He stands behind the door before starting to cry and shake. 

"They're coming for me." He pulls out the small bit of soul he has left. Everyone gasps at the small piece of soul, it’s smaller than Geno’s. He tears up and wipes his eyes as he takes another breath in and steadies himself. He pops the lid off of his light orange vial and takes a small swig of it. He sighs as bravery fills him before he puts his soul back in him. “They can’t hurt me, I’m equal to them now.” He smiles with a determined gaze as his eye lights change.

Another flash of light shows Ink stuck in a white area, a blinding white. It hurts to look at, but Ink is stuck there tugging on the red strings holding him up. His outfit is torn and covered in ink as he softly tugs on the strings. _And I tried to hold these secrets inside me_. 

“So why am I so… afraid? I shouldn’t be afraid.” He blinks as he realizes what he said before shaking his skull. He takes another breath before struggling even more against the strings. _My mind's like a deadly disease._ A kitsune mask comes closer, and it's the Kitsune mask that they know. They bring a paper with them. “No! Stop this!” Ink watches as they show him the picture on it and the name. “I don’t like this!” He struggles to try and grab the paper from them.

 _I'm bigger than my body_ . “Too bad.” They pull the paper away to show a picture of an unfinished Au without a name. His blue tears flow down his face as he shakes his head. _I'm colder than this home._

“Please! You’re scaring me!” He struggles against the strings even more before screaming out in pain as the mask pulls it apart into pieces. He clasps a hand over where his fraction of a soul is as he thrashes even more before breaking free. He falls to the ground and growls as he glares up at Kitsune. _I’m meaner than my demons._ He launches himself at Kitsune and tackles them to the ground. “This is for everything you put me through!” Kitsune only chuckles as they snap. Ink falls through a portal and lands of soft plush grass. He gets up with a groan. _I'm bigger than these bones._

“Ink!” He looks up at the old and new version of Blue. He startles back as the older begins to come apart as if he’s being torn apart. He tears up as the older Blueberry screams out in pain as he holds a hand out to Ink. Ink tries to grab it to bring comfort to his old friend. Only for him to disappear before he turns to the new Blue. His eye lights shrink into pinpricks as his sockets widen. He turns around slowly to see the new Blue with tears flowing down his face as a red line cuts across his neck. He startles back as Blue steps closer “I’ve been worried about you.” His movements stutter as every different attempt and redesigned Blue come to surround him.

“AAAAAAAAAHH!” He screams out as a portal pulls him back out into the white room. _And all the kids cried out,_ "Please stop, you're scaring me!" He clutches his skull in his hands as he hunches over the ground. He whimpers as he hears other footsteps surround him. _I can't help this awful energy_ . “ERGH! LEAVE ME ALONE!” He cries out as he sits up and punches one of the figures. He opens his eyes to gasp and back up in shock at what looks like Dream stumbles back before dissolving into liquid. _God damn right, you should be scared of me!_

“Inky?” He opens his eye sockets to see a skeleton the others have never met before. He cries as he reaches out to them. Ink can’t even say his name as he reaches out to them. The skeleton helps him up and holds both of his hands and looks at him dead in the sockets. “I’ve been worried about you.” Ink sniffles before wiping his tears.

 _Who is in control?_ “AAAAAAAAAHH!” Ink screams out into the white void as more versions of Dream, Error, Nightmare, and Blue surround him. All of them screaming out to him in pain. _And all the kids cried out,_ "Please stop, you're scaring me!" They start to scream louder at him to help them. He starts to bang his skull against the floor as he cries and screams back. _I can't help this awful energy!_ “ERGH! LEAVE ME ALONE! I’M SORRY! I CAN’T HELP YOU ANYMORE! YOU AREN’T HERE!” _God damn right, you should be scared of me._ He screams louder before the screen cuts back to him and the other skeleton. _Who is in control?_ They softly rub his knuckles as he comes back to the moment. “It’s nothing to worry about anyway.” He slowly takes his hands out of the other’s and scratches the back of his skull. For a few moments, the red strings appear and disappear at random. The other skeleton frowns and then sighs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
“What the bloody hell was that?” Dust says and everyone nods. 

Dream hides from the different versions and screams of him. Blue holds onto Dream as well. Cross’s eye sockets are more focussed on Ink’s soul in his hand rather than on the screen. He doesn’t want to look not after the first scream. Error has crashed in worry as Nightmare watches in concern and worry. Killer’s sockets are open wide as he holds Nightmare. Green had gotten Sage to fall asleep on him as he doesn’t look back up at the screen. Keeping his eyes on Leo and Sage. Grillby just holds Leo close as he watches in horror. Sirius doesn’t look and hides his face in Gemini’s chest. Gemini just holds and comforts Sirius. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 _I paced around for hours on empty_ . Ink paces around his room with his stuff strewn on every surface. He holds himself close as he cries softly. “This is the last thing I ever wanted to be! I don’t wanna be like them!” He whispers to himself as he holds onto a blue jacket that’s slightly different than his old one. _I jumped at the slightest of sounds._ He sits down on his bed as he taps his foot. “I don’t want to be anything like them… But now I’m equal to them.” He whimpers as he holds his skull. The strings reappear on Ink as he sits there. _And I couldn't stand the person inside me._ “So why am I not afraid?... They said that I shouldn’t be afraid. But I feel I should!” He tears up as he fights against the strings once more. _I turned all the mirrors around_. “no! Stop it! I don’t like this!” His voice is nothing more than a whisper as he tugs against the strings.

 _I'm bigger than my body_. “Too bad.” The strings pull him back up and his whimpers softly as more move around him.

“Please!” _I'm colder than this home_ . “You’re scaring me!” He whimpers before noticing his scissors near his foot. He grabs them and tosses them to his hand before cutting one of the strings. Before another. And another. Soon, he’s free and back in the white room. He’s fighting against the Kitsune again and tackles them again. He grits his teeth and bangs against their mask. _I'm meaner than my demons_ . “This is for everything you put me through!” The mask smirks again and Ink rolls out of the way only to fall through a familiar portal. _I'm bigger than these bones._

“Kiki!” Ink lifts his head from the familiar bean bag bed that stays in the Anti-void. “I’ve been worried about you!” Ink looks up to see the original Error and not his redesigned version. It's not _his_ Error. He gasps and backs away as the Error turns around to face him. The red lines where his blue string would be and he tears up as familiar red strings pull him up. 

“AAAAAAAAAHH!” He screams out in pain as his legs are torn off and become ink again. He whimpers as he tries to crawl away. _And all the kids cried out,_ "Please stop, you're scaring me." The strings grab the ink dripping pant legs and pull him back. _I can't help this awful energy._ “ERG! LEAVE ME ALONE!” He grabs one of his smaller paintbrushes and creates some deep blue ink bones to send as an attack. He cries out as his vision blurs and he fires at the wrong target. _God damn right, you should be scared of me_! 

“Inky! I’ve been worried about you.” His eye sockets widen as the bones fly towards Error. _Who is in control?_

“AAAAAAAAAHH!” He cries out in suffering as he watches that version of Error get hit by his attacks. He screams louder as he bangs his skull against the ground. 

_And all the kids cried out,_ "Please stop, you're scaring me!" Blue, Dream, and Error all shout at him as he shouts echos back to them. _I can't help this awful energy_. He clutches his skull as he tries to hide from their angry shouts. “ERGH! LEAVE ME ALONE!” 

He punches one of them and becomes ink before sliding away. He makes his way away from them before forming whatever parts of his body he can with the remaining ink in his puddle. All that he's missing is one arm and his other hand as he used the ink to form his legs so he can run. _God damn right, you should be scared of me_ ! He pants as he runs as fast as he can to the doorway. He blinks away his tears as echoes of an event that never happened flash around him. The face of his brothers, angry and disappointed at him as they asked what was wrong with him. He pushes past them. _Who is in control?_

"It’s nothing to worry about anyway." 

He would say to them as he stares at them blankly with no colors. A betrayal between him and his friends that never happened flashes across as he makes his way to the door. A disbanding of the star sanses and the pain of his friends follow but he wonders if this will happen. Finally, he falls through the doorway and he's back in one complete piece. He looks around to find that he's in his bedroom from the past. He smiles softly at the two figures sitting on his bed before running over in his smaller overalls. His bare feet click against the hardwood floor as his paint sash jingles with the glass tubes clinking against each other. 

_I'm well acquainted with villains that live in my head._ He chuckles softly as he jumps into the arms of a green bunny. The same one is seen from the beginning as well as the yellow fox. The bunny chuckles as they catch him. They sit there like a family as he laughs and tells a story. _They beg me to write them so they'll never die when I'm dead_. A flash happens as the screen shows Ink talking and helping the bunny with their paper as he turns around to face the multiverse again. He smiles as he pulls out his mask. It's a special one with the markings of his friends on it. He opens his paper and starts to doodle. 

_And I've grown familiar with villains that live in my head._ Ink's eye sockets widen as he watches a group of Kitsunes and foxes debate over which Au to rip apart. He watches as they grab a mic from one of their papers and start to speak into it. He waits before running past and taking the mic with him before hiding it. _They beg me to write them so I'll never die when I'm dead_. It shows him with his paper and using the mic himself. His mask is on the side of his skull and everything is fine before it starts to change to a fox. He gasps and stops doing what he's doing to look at it. He frowns before steeling himself and grabbing the mic one more time. He starts to talk into the mic as tears fall his face. His mask changes back as he cries into the mic. He smiles as he talks before looking away to see a group of Kitsunes surround him. He closes the mic and grabs broomie. He pulls on his mask and fights them as he keeps the multiverse tree behind him. 

"AAAAAAAAAHH!" He screams as they try to get to close, forcing him to step up his game. He dodges as he attacks, not staying in one spot long enough for their strings and magic to get to him. He looks at the tree to see the leaves come together to make a portal. He paints chains on the closest Kitsune before kicking them away. He looks in to see the golden hue and papers of Aus floating around. 

Flashes of his friends pass through his mind. _And all the kids cried out,_ "Just stop, you're scaring them!" He fights to the best of his ability, before creating walls and hiding in his doodle sphere. He sighs as he refills his colors from the waterfalls before drinking a little of each. He throws his mask before huffing and hiding the mask. _I can't help this awful energy_. There's a knock on his door and he turns at it in anger and pain. 

"ERGH! LEAVE ME ALONE!" He shouts at the door as he buries his skull in his hands. He tears up as he slumps against the wall.

 _God damn right, you should be scared of me._ "Ink, we're worried about you." He looks up to see Dream, Cross, and Blue. He closes his eye sockets and whimpers. Cross just hugs him tight and the others join in. They don't question why he looks like he was just in a fight. _Who is in control?_

He falls through another portal and suddenly he's back at _this_ moment. The unknown skeleton backs away from Ink slightly. _And all the kids cried out,_ "Ink stop, you're scaring me." 

He tears up as he falls to his knees as the other skeleton tries to reason with him. Ink only sighs before nodding and walking away. He sighs as he gets back to the outside of the multiverse tree and stares at it. He feels a hand on his shoulder and smacks it off. _I can't help this awful energy._ "JUST LEAVE US ALONE!" He turns around to see the green bunny, or as he calls them Bun Bun before they pull him into a hug. He flinches at the movement and contact from them.

 _God damn right, you should be scared of me._ "Ink, we've been worried about you." He only sighs before hugging them back tightly. _Who is in control?_

A flash of the screen changes the scene. Ink is defending the other skeleton from the strings. _And all the kids cried out,_ "Stop! You're scaring him!" He continues to fight the strings as the other helps. He looks around as he grits his teeth and continues to fight them off. _I can't help this awful energy_.

"ERGH! LEAVE US ALONE!" He finally pushes the strings back into the portal and closes it. He spits out some ink before turning to his companion to see that they're okay. _God damn right, you should be scared of me_. "You see what I mean? Just a bond isn't going to do much. Please just take it." The other skeleton finally gives in.

"Okay. But I'm worried about **_you_ **. Are you going to be okay?" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 _Who is in control?_ Ink nods and waves it off. He smiles as he tilts his skull. "It’s nothing to worry about anyway." The screen fizzes out again and everyone sits there in stunned silence.

"W-what.. was that?!" No one answered. "What was happening to my little bro?!" Again no one answers and Cross tears up in frustration. 

"Who was that other sans?" They all look around and no one can answer. 

"Ink doesn't want to be a creator? I thought he did." 

"No." Everyone looks back at the screen to see a barely recognizable bunny. They wheeze softly as the background shows that their hiding. "No. He never wanted to be one of us. But he accepted the role to protect you guys. So he would be on equal ground as the rest of us."

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM MY LITTLE BROTHER! GIVE US BACK INK!" Bun Bun looks around quickly in worry before raising a finger to the mouth of the mask.

"Q-quiet. They're g-gonna hear you and find me." They whimper softly. "I can't be found yet. I need to still get Ink away from them. His form isn't stable. H-he can live without a soul, but since he's had one for so long now… His body isn't used to being like that again. His ink is trying to keep up with the games Kitsune plays with him." 

"His ink?" Nightmare and the others look puzzled before Error speaks up.

"He isn't like us is he?" Bun Bun shakes their head. "His body is made of solid ink?" 

"Yes. In a sense. So as long as he has enough ink in his puddle, he should be able to reform his whole body soul or no soul. But-but Kitsune is making him lose more and more ink. I'm worried that they're gonna- AH!" 

Everyone watches as a red string wraps around their midsection and pulls them away.

"There you are! That little game of hide and seek was fun. But it isn't the fun I want to have." Bun Bun and the others see a puddle of ink behind Kitsune.

"Ink!/ My sweet inkblot!" Everyone and Bun Bun shout at the same time. Tears collect and slide down Bun Bun's mask. "Please stop this! He can't be like this too many times or else he might-! Gah! Non-stop! P-please! I-I beg of you!" Their mask cracks even more and a crunch of their bones are heard as more strings tighten around Bun Bun. The tears mix with black ink as they plead. They fall to the ground gasping.

"Oh him? Don't worry. He has enough ink to put himself back together. Now. Come on, ‘my sweet inkblot’ it’s time to get up!." They pull their strings and Ink slowly takes his form. He lets out a very soft whine before looking up at them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There you are~” Ink looks at the small window to see his friends before looking away. “Now come on, we have a few different timelines to mess with. That will be fun!” Ink’s eye sockets widen before he starts thrashing.

“No! NO! You can’t mess with them! I locked them! S-so you can’t… Right?” Kitsune can only chuckle.

“Is that really what you think? That I can’t touch them? I have more experience than you. So don’t ever think you’re above me, sketch.” Ink flinches back from the name and Kitsune brings them to the multiverse tree. The others gasp in wonder before they go into the leaf portal. “Now look at this. Isn’t this wonderful? Where should we start?” Ink continues to fight against the strings and Bun Bun curls up as much as they can because of the pain the strings are doing to her. Kitsune looks behind them and sighs. “Really. You are too much.”

“Let me go! You can’t mess with them again! I won’t let you!”

Kitsune sighs again. “It’s fun to watch you run yourself ragged in here.” They chuckle as the music starts out of nowhere. Ink looks around in confusion. “Why would you want to be here? What did you ever see here?” They move around the Aus while pulling a few closer before letting them go. “That doesn't make you feel worse than you do?” They make their way back to Ink, whose strings have moved to tie him to the small island. “And tell me, what's the use of feeling blue?” 

They pinch his cheekbones as they tilt their head to the side. They use his discomfort as a distraction to grab the blue vial from his sash. It’s at this moment does everyone realize that Ink has his sash back. He hasn’t needed that since he got his soul so he doesn’t carry it with him. Kitsune tosses the deep blue vial between their hands. They turn back to face Ink.

“Why would you want to employ the toys that destroy you?” A hazy image of Dream, Cross, and Blue appear before Ink and stare down at him. Ink doesn’t make eye contact with them before the shadow Cross steps forward and dusts. The other two follow his lead and Bun Bun struggles against their restraints. “Why keep up their silly zoos? Oh, tell me, what's the use of feeling, Ink?” Ink’s eyes switch between an exclamation mark and a teardrop to two white pinpricks quickly. He growls as his eye lights change to a red target and a red swirl. A smirk makes its way onto Kitsune’s mask.

“A Leo has a use; he can go and fight a war!” A hazy Leo appears in his war armor as he leads an army in battle. In the room, Leo looks away as he brings a hand to his scar. Grillby bends down to kiss his skull. The image of Leo becomes shrouded in steam and dust before Kitsune pushes it away.

“A Wishes has a use; he can tell you what it's for!” An image of a younger green with another skeleton appears as they chase each other in a garden. Green turns away and tears up. Sage can only hug him close and he holds her with one arm. The others don’t connect it right away and Leo softly grabs Green’s hand from Sage’s back and gives it a gentle squeeze. Ink looks down in shame as the image changes to one where Green is running away from something while holding onto a small star. “A Nightmare terrifies; an Error terraforms!” Ink doesn’t look up to see them. He only lowers himself more in shame. “Where's their ‘protector’ when they need him, Ink?! You've got to be a creator, Ink!” Kitsune steps onto Ink’s shoulder blade as they glare down at him. Ink’s mask appears for a moment before disappearing again.

Kitsune sighs before rolling their eyes. “Yet, of course, you still love them…” Images of his friends surround him and help him up. “And you're always thinking of him…” The other skeleton that no one knows appears and holds him close as they glare at Kitsune. He tries to pull Ink away from them. “But now there's nothing you can do, so tell me…” The other skeleton dusts with a sad smile before Ink turns back to Kitsune, who grabs his cheekbones again. They force his jaw open. “What's the use of feeling? What's the use of feeling?” They pop the cork out of the blue vial. “What's the use of feeling blue?” They pour the whole vial into his mouth and he softly chokes before he swallows it. His magic becomes a royal blue as his eye lights change and the embarrassed and frustrated blush on his cheekbones becomes a deep blue. Tears fill his eye sockets and trace his trembling frown as he stares back up at Kitsune.

“Oh, how can you stand to be here with it all?” They lean back on a wall they made. “Drowning in all this regret…” They bring a hand to the forehead of their mask and roll their eyes. “Wouldn't you rather forget them?” They jerk a thumb at the window showing his friends. He turns to look before looking away. The soft bangs of Error’s fist against the window echos softly, and Ink can’t bear to see his tears. “Ohh, won't it be grand to get rid of it all?” Kitsune’s strings wrap around an Au and start to tear it as Ink grabs where his soul would be. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Sage! We need you to heal!” Sage turns away from Green and nods. She picks herself up and hurries to Cross. She starts to heal Ink’s soul from the cracks forming. Once she’s done, Cross tries to calm it down. Error turns to see it shaking violently before taking it from Cross and holding it close. 

It doesn’t work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Let's make a plan and attack!” More strings start to go in every direction before focusing their attention on Ink. “Start looking forward and stop looking back!” Kitsune leans into Ink’s face. His tears making a small puddle under him.

“Oh, yes, of course, I still love them!” He screams back. Kitsune is stunned and Ink bites his lower jaw as he whimpers. He looks to the side to where a broken Au is hanging. “And I’m always thinking of him!” He sniffles as he looks back at Kitsune. “Don't you know I miss it, too?” His question is left hanging in the air as flashes of the past pass in Kitsune’s mind. The smiles and excitement. The memories become corrupted with images of Ink’s hurt scowl and betrayed expression. He continues to sniffle as he looks back down. They look away before looking back at him.

“But, tell me…” They get onto a knee and tilt his skull up. “What's the use of feeling? What's the use of feeling?” They pause before they turn to the window and close it. “What's the use of feeling blue?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OwO! What mask do you think he has? Bunny, Fox, or Kitsune? Who is the other skeleton Ink has been seen with? Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Remember to check out the teasers though!


	6. How the hate of life feels.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hated By Life Itself by Vocaloid, but I'm using Oktavia  
> MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE TEASERS! THIS ONE IS ONE WHERE Y'ALL GET A (somewhat) REFERENCE IMAGE TO LEO! Or at least get to see most of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little dark with its lyrics. Just a heads up.

Everyone sits there in stunned silence as they wait for something to happen. Leo grunts as he pushes himself up and makes his way to the screen. He summons his spear to his side before attacking the screen. He growls in frustration as tears fill his sockets. He keeps attacking as Sirius and Gemini come and lay a hand on both of his shoulders. He stops. 

“they have to give ‘im back. they have to.” Gemini nods and Sirius sighs as he gets onto his knees. Leo brings a hand to where his stomach would be and lets it rest there. He softly whines before turning to hide his face in Sirius’ robes. “that’s a cub! they can’t do that to a cub! that’s one of my cubs! that’s one of my hurting cubs!” 

He whimpers as Sirius just holds him closer Gemini sighs softly and joins the hug. He pushes them away before running to Sage and Green. He holds them closer before bringing them to Grillby and pulling him over to Gemini and Sirius. He sits down and gives a soft croon to them. Grillby nods.

“He wants a family hug with his cubs and us.” Leo nods and holds Sage and Green even closer. They let him and the others join in before the screen turns on. 

“You.” Kitsune’s eyes fix onto Leo as Leo’s breath hitches and he holds his cubs tighter. “You’re coming with me again.” Leo pushes his cubs away before adding his fire to keep them away. He nods at Grillby before his soul pings and he’s thrown through the screen. Grillby only walks over to Green and Sage. He lowers his heat and holds them close.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leo falls into the snow of Snowdin. He pulls himself up with his spear as his face slowly covers with white pixels. Classic lends a hand and Leo looks at it hesitantly.

“w-who are you? why do you look like me?” He studies Classic and Classic smiles down at him.

“nice to meetcha, bud. i’m sans, sans the skeleton. what’s your name?” Leo stands up, he’s taller than classic. He holds onto his spear as he wipes his face as he looks down.

“Leo. My name is Leo.” Classic quirks an eyebrow at his font. Leo notices. “My font name is Comic Sans. But, I’m known as Leo.” He brings a hand to his chest as he coughs up more blood. Classic’s eye sockets widen.

“heya, let’s patch you up. get you somethin’ to eat from grillby’s.” Leo tenses up before bending over in grief before another blip happens. The background changes to the bar at Grillby’s. Papyrus grabs Leo’s hands.

“DON’T WISH FOR DEATH IF YOU’RE FEELING WEAK.” Leo looks away and Sans places his hand on Leo’s back as well. He offers a true smile and Leo just frowns.

“hardships aren’t as hard as they seem to be.” Leo snorts as everything stops moving other than Leo. He gets off the chair with a scoff. The others are left to guess what he’s feeling since they can’t see his eye sockets. He slowly dances through the people and towards the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Yes. That Is True. Leo Should Listen To Them.” Grillby only frowns.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Sure say that all you want, you’re not fooling me.” His singing catches everyone off guard. It’s softer than what they thought it would be. He sighs as he slips out the door. Slowly, he dances through the snow as he tilts his skull to the side. “With those words you never mean.” He stops his dancing once he reaches a cliff. His mouth falls into a thin line as he sits down on a snow puff. Grillby tenses up at the height. “While I don’t care to die. I don’t mind a bit.” He shrugs his shoulders before looking over the edge and everyone tenses before he goes back to the snow puff. “But someone I love?” He touches the small embroidered flame on his collar. He stops singing as he thinks for a moment before bringing his hand to his skull. “Stars, I think I wish I did.” 

He sighs as he wipes at his face again. He sighs as he gets up and walks through Papyrus’s traps. He smiles down at them as he gracefully solves them on the first try. He slowly waltzes through Snowdin while twirling his spear. He hums to a wordless tune before smiling at Grillby’s bar. He becomes a ball of fire before zooming off to a hidden part of the woods. 

“I suppose ‘I won’t like it.’ Is all that my ego is.” A wet chuckle comes from the fire as it becomes Leo again. “Happy to gaze upon the pain of the haven’t met. Cowering in our hatred has become a fashion trend.” He embraces his fire again as he twirls before stoping. He tilts his head up towards the snowfall before looking down and burning away some of the snow from the ground.

“Even though we’re supposed to ‘live a peaceful life.’” The fire becomes Leo again. He stands there looking back up at the sky as he touches his collar again. “Even though I bet it’s nice, I bet we tried.” 

He uses his flames to create a path of life he wanted. An illusion of Grillby with a baby in his arms stands in front of him. They’re laughing as they dance together. Grillby lowers his head as an illusion of Leo comes forward holding his robes that has a small bulge that his hand rests on. The illusion of Grillby walks up to the other Leo and kisses him on the cheek before handing him the baby with a smaller mark on their cheekbone. Everyone watches as tears drip from Leo’s chin as he watches the scene play out before he pushes the flames down close to nothingness only for a moment before they build again.

“Someone succumbs behind the colors of the monitor. Deep in grief, another weeps, by singing in their honor.” The fire takes a shape of Leo on his knees screaming in pain and grief. “Hearing that song, a humming boy wandered.” The flames change to an illusion of Frisk with his sword in their hand smirking as they walk past him. His mouth pulls up in a silent growl. “Off with a knife and an offer.” He smothers the flames out as his frame scrunches up. 

“Everybody hated well by life itself will never know!” His scream of the lyrics startles everyone in the room. He hunches over as brings his hands to his chest. “Why they forced code and ego on the radio! Day-to-day, they’re singing out ‘I’ll take you down,’ but then again… Who takes when they’re really being generous?” He brings his skull up towards the sky as he reaches for something that isn’t there. No one in the room understands what he said, other than Nightmare and Error. Leo falls to his knees in front of a tree as he cries. “Everybody hated well by life itself will never know! Why ‘I wanna die’ is treated like another joke!” He grips the blood-stained space-themed top robe tightly as he smiles. He’s still crying as he looks back up to the sky for answers. He gasps for breath. “That world where we see the worth in growing old. Anybody hated well by life itself will never know.” 

His body gives out and he falls into the snow before Classic comes out of nowhere and sighs before picking him up and taking him home. Dream, Blue, and Grillby and silently thank him. Albeit that Grillby didn’t know who it was, but thanked him anyway. Another blip happens and it’s both Leo and Classic sitting at Classic’s sentry post. Classic fast asleep as Leo keeps one socket open with his spear in his lap. His pants are clean and he’s wearing one of Sans’s other hoodies with his black collar. He smiles at Classic before continuing to watch as he hums.

“Penniless again, through the day anew. I decide to praise the lazy and sing out of tune.” His tone goes deeper as he sings the last part of the line. He waves at Papyrus as he walks over. “Lost upon life’s meaning, I take in the truth.” He nods in thanks for the food that Papyrus hands him. He waves as Papyrus turns around and walks back from where he came from. “Breathe and see there isn’t anything I’m meant to do.” His tone holding sadness as he eats slowly. Grillby notes that it looks like the food he would make for them, just greasier. 

“Would these wounds be better off expressed? With the lowly illustration, “I’m so lonely” suggests?” Leo softly sings to himself as he sits up from the couch. He grabs his spear and tries to make a portal again to take him home. Tears fall from under the pixels as he stops for a moment before trying again. “Shouldering nothing but this stubbornness.” Classic comes down and helps Leo to rest on the couch. Leo sighs as he curls closer into himself. “I’m nothing but alone when I go to bed.” 

“Kids with passion who play make-believe.” 

Leo smiles softly as he makes a fire illusions of Sage, Green, Sirius, and a skeleton they don’t know. They’re all so little. He chuckles softly as Sage comes close and grabs his hand to come and play with them. Green smiles brightly as he follows the bright small flame to Leo and hugs him. Leo hugs him back before joining them as they dance to the soft humming from Leo.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Is that… How he sees us?” Green looks on in awe as Leo plays and dances so carefreely with them. He holds them all close to him before smiling down at them. Sage nods. Even with the pixels, she can easily see the pride and joy showing in his eye light.

“same smile.” Grillby can only chuckle.

“You three are his pack. His cubs. Although, I’m not sure who that last skeleton is.” They watch as Leo bends down and scoops up the skeleton, who is obviously the youngest, and twirl around with them. He softly nuzzles them before fire covers them all completely.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Will become young adults with a will to achieve.” 

They’re shown as the fire dies down, illusions of what they look like now. Sirius is taller than Leo and proudly standing next to him. Sage is softly smiling at him and Green. Green has a soft smile on his face as he faces them. Nothing really changed for Sage and Green, not even their height. Only what they have been through and how they’ve grown from it. The last skeleton bends down, they’re just a few inches taller than Leo, to hug him tightly as Leo holds him. They let go before the flames blow out and away from Leo. He looks down at his hands to see nothing there. Only Sage and Green remain at his side before they disappear with the flames. “As we age, there comes a day we fester like a falling leaf. Carried down without a clue to prove we ever breathed.” He sighs as he wipes his eye sockets from under the pixels. 

“Breathing on for centuries in a near deathless design. Bored for eternity, the only to survive.” He looks down at his spear before bringing his free hand up to his black collar. He looks out of the window. “These are the kinds of sci-fi dreams always on my mind.” He stops before turning away to sit on a cushion not too far from the window. He rests his free hand on his robes and rubs his thumb in small circles absentmindedly. 

“Numb to the pain, can I die? Though I’m not afraid. All the same, I have to pay attention to the hearts I’d break. Lost in conflicting thoughts, I’m sure they’d have a lot to say. Yes, I can guess what they’d convey:” A shadow of people show from behind him. They lean in close to him as he covers his skull as if he was covering his ears.

“Perfect things need to stay as perfect as they were.”

“If you can’t confront demise, then live the life you don’t deserve.”

He brings his hands down as he tilts his head downward at them. “Since we’re bound to end up sad and back to being hurt… We should laugh with our friends we lack forever!”

“Everybody hated well by life itself will never know! Why we claim to get the happiness we haven’t shown!” His flames burn the ground violently as he cries out. He lifts his head from his hands as tears flow down his face. His flames that he creates start to spin around him in waves of emotion. “Angered by our past, fast, as we complain aloud. We smile while pretending that we’re better now!” More colors are added to the fire. It’s beautiful to see if it wasn’t for the sad song Leo was singing. His voice cracks as he strains to be heard. Not being used to singing, or yelling this loud. “Everybody hated well by life itself will never know! Why ‘so long’ took on the meaning of ‘I wanna go.’ That time where goodbye implied ‘for now, I hope.’ Anybody hated well by life itself will never know!” His fire burns higher before covering the screen. They die down to show Leo picking himself back up. He sits on his heels with his skull tilted upwards before standing up and holding his spear close. 

“Contentment, and exits. Affection, and friendships.” His pack and friends he’s made through the Multiverse stand in front of him with a lock on them. “They’re gifts you can for your money. Within but a whimsical fantasy.” He turns away from them as they slowly disappear. He sighs as he starts to march the opposite path. 

“I could be dead tomorrow, yet I’m sure in some way. When I go, I’ll get to know my life was such a waste.” Grillby holds Green and Sage closer and they hold onto him. No one wants to think too hard about what Leo means as he sings. But they don’t have to. Grillby sends out a pulse of love and worry. “Through daylight and stardom. Through springtime and autumn.” He slows down as he looks up. He turns towards the window leading into the room, and they stare back at him. 

“We die every day and that’s exactly why I chase!” He starts to run towards them, but the window keeps moving farther and farther away from him. “No wishes or visions,” he stops moving as he brings a hand to his chest as he cries. His smile shakes as he brings a hand up to the pixels. “Since all, I can afford is protecting your lives. I ask for that and nothing more.” His tears fall faster as he grips the pixels tightly and throws them to the ground. They shatter on impact as he stares at his family and friends lovingly. “Of course, that’s surely…” He takes a deep breath as he brings a hand up to his chest in pride and love. 

“ALL I EVER NEED TO SING FOR!” His voice is loud like a roar. Raw from the scream itself, but it’s full of determination and love. It gets the message across to the others. He isn’t going to give up just yet. No, he isn’t going to die just yet. He has his cubs he needs to see grow. He continues to run towards the window with new determination.

“Hated well by life itself, I’ll never know! What gives meaning to the matter when we die alone!” Other flames that aren’t his surround him. He stops as they form his cubs again as they walk away in grief. “It’ll taint you, it’ll taint two!” He growls as he pushes the flames away. “Soon enough the rest of us will sink like a leaf into anywhere we know it’s not for naught! ‘Cause we don’t stop!” He breaks out in a sprint. “Going out and off, always giving everything we got!” 

He jumps onto a rock. _To killing!_ He jumps to another rock. _To kicking!_ He grabs onto a tree branch and swings off of it. _To grinning!_ He smiles as he nears the window. _To gritting!_ He jumps higher into the tree. _Living!_ He goes higher. _Living!_ He bursts into flames. _Living!_ He jumps down at an angle. _Living!_ He rolls as he lands before racing on all four paws. _Living on!_ He roars as he makes his way through the window into the room. He slides against the floor before hitting the wall in the back. He softly whines before making his way back to his pack and grabbing his cubs with his teeth. They smile at him as Leo increases his size to lay around them. Grillby smiles as Leo rests his muzzle in his lap. Gemini and Sirius both smile and join Green and Sage by laying on Leo’s back. The others stare at Leo’s form in person. 

“Wow.” Leo opens his eyes and lifts his head from Grillby to look down at Blue, who has come closer. Leo softly croons to him before nuzzling him. “Mewheheh! You’re warm!” Dream walks up as well. 

“Can I?” 

Leo bows his head and Dream rests his forehead against Leo’s as he holds the sides of Leo’s muzzle. He whispers only something that Leo could hear. He softly whimpers in response before nodding. Leo turns to the others and nods. He lays his head back down in Grillby’s lap as they rest up for whatever happens next. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter!  
> https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/carmelc-ink  
> (For the teasers!)


	7. They're only Madame Wishes and Monsieur Consea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mademoiselle Noir - By hitRECord  
> They’re Only Humans - By Death Note Musical

Leo purrs softly to his Cubs as Grillby runs his hand through his flames. Leo stops to open his left eye to stare at Error. His flames shrink causing him to as well, before gently pushing the others off and walking over. Error stares at him before Leo nods at him with respect. He softly pats Error on the head with his paw. He turns to Cross who is holding Ink's soul. He licks Cross's tears away before Sage comes to him. She heals Ink's soul once more from the soft cracks forming. She then sends a pulse of courage through her magic to Ink. Green smiles as he uses his left arm to hold his leg to his chest. Dream and Nightmare look at each other and smile as they try to balance their auras in the room. Blue curls against Dust as Killer softly chats with him. Grillby just smiles softly as he watches Leo care for the others. 

"BROTHERS? SOMETHING IS WRONG." 

Leo quickly stops and takes his form before hurrying to Sirius and Gemini. Everyone stops as they watch with a dreadful pit in their soul. Gemini grabs where his soul is.

"Leo. I Don't Think That We're Aloud To Stay Any Longer." Leo grabs one of each of their hands.

"W-what do you mean? you can't dust again. P-please just stay with me!" He holds onto their hands tightly as Gemini's form wavers, but he's determined to stay as long as he can.

"Don't Worry, Leo. We'll Always Be With You. Have A Wonderful Life For Us." Gemini exhales before his form becomes a soft glowing pile of stare dust. Leo tears up more as his frame scrunched up. He turns to Sirius, who only smiles sadly at him.

"BROTHER. Just. Live for us and… Even if I'm dead. I will watch over you from the stars. So give me a nibbling to watch." Sirius softly chuckles before becoming stardust as well. Leo sits there crying before the dust starts to swirl around him and flies out of the room to somewhere else.

"At least. It was a better death than last time. At least… It was peaceful." He wipes his tears as Grillby holds him close. Grillby waits to follow suit, only to his surprise that he doesn’t dust as well. He can only bow his head in respect as they become their stars once again. No one can speak or move. No one notices Kitsune watching.

"Boring." They all turn to them. Kitsune only waves to them. "Heya. Leo and Ink are not interesting to play with right now. But… You two." They point to Green and he tenses. "You two. You have quite the story to tell. And you seem like a fun doll. Two for the price of one." Green's soul pings as he flies through the screen. Leo cries out to grab him, but no one could. Kitsune can only sigh as they walk closer to him. "Well. Damaged goods or not. A toy is still a toy." The screen fades to white as Kitsune's strings wrap around Green's soul and pull it apart. Green’s screams echo out as it slowly becomes unraveled like two voices in harmony.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two skeletons, that almost everyone doesn't know, lay on top of clouds as one in a green and white robe gets up. Their eyes are the same green as Green's, but not entirely the same. The other continues to watch whatever is below them before the first looks around the garden they're in. They smile happily at the other. They let their eye lights wander over to the bushes with the softly glowing spheres floating past. They watch them mingle with the others, before one. One that’s pink with edges of yellow mixed into it. It’s smaller than most and he cups it with one hand. He softly whispers something to it before it glows brighter. As it does, Leo blushes slightly as a thought plays through his mind. He gently moves his hand to his stomach. The green-eyed skeleton watches as the sphere floats towards the window. They blink in surprise.

"Consea! Consea! Look!" Their voice is hushed as they nudge the other. They point with one arm, and it doesn't take long to realize that they don't have the other arm. Consea sits up as the first looks at them. "People are watching us." 

Consea's eye sockets widen as his blue eye lights glow softly as he pulls out a dagger on a chain connected to his phalange. Something that Sage and Leo both recognize as Green's favored weapon.

"Who are you? What are your intentions? Are you trying to take Wishes again? Or have your wish granted?" His voice is low, gruff, and with a soft accent on his font. They all shake their head and he lowers his weapon. Wishes poke their head out from behind Consea and notice someone familiar. They smile. _That’s why the wish’s want and voice sounded so familiar._ Wishes grabs the wish and sends it back to the bushes. 

"Hello again! You must be here for Green!" Their accent is thick on their font. Giving the sound something like a thick french accent. They giggle softly before waving goodbye. The two skeletons disappear into the fog of the area. Green walks out with pixels over his face. 

"I'll tell you one of their stories. As this is a wish I see holds little consequences." 

He bows as the sound of a piano plays in the background. He pulls the fog from around him and they take the form of Wishes and Consea.

"Let's go an' visit the humans again! It's been such a long time!" Consea uses both hands to hold Wishes’ cheekbones. 

"But, Love remember what they did last time?" Wishes looks away and Consea sighs. "Okay. Let's see if they've changed." 

Wishes perks up before the clouds take to form of a different scene as Green walks around. Wishes and Consea share a kiss before their forms become human. Wishes still have their bright green eyes. Their skin is a rich chocolate with lighter colored spots. A few covered their left cheek and jaw. Her form was female with a thick braid that trailed behind her for maybe a foot on the floor. She smiles at her dress before turning to Consea. Whose skin was a light peach with his deep blue eyes remaining the same. His hair is a dark chocolate brown that didn't go down too far. In his orange hooded cloak with a bow and quiver on his back. They make their way to an abandoned star tower and make it a home. After a blip, it seems that months went by before they see Consea waving as he leaves to go and hunt. As he does, Wishes weeps as she nurses her injuries by the window. Someone had accused her of getting in their way of getting their wish granted. It wasn't her fault that they didn't understand the consequences of her wish. As she cries, another man walks up to the tower.

"A man came across this old tower one day." Green’s voice takes most off guard. He has an accent that sounds just like Wishes and his singing voice is smooth. "It was straight like from a book he once read." He turns to watch as Wishes dangles her hair out the window as she sniffles. “He lifted his head up and saw this young lady. And here's what the lady said:” The man looks up at Wishes before his eyes widen. She wipes her tears as she takes a shaky breath.

"Moi je m'appelle mademoiselle Noir. Et comme vous pouvez le voir. Je ne souris, ni ris, ni vis.” Tears fill her eyes again as she rests her head on the edge of the window. The man takes a step back. “Et c'est tout ce qu'elle a dit." She sniffles as she retreats back into the house, the ends of her hair still outside the window. Green turns to the window as the man turns away. 

“The man was so scared, he could only run away.” His skull follows the man as he runs back the way he came. “He ran to the town and then said, ‘I just saw a lady with the longest dark hair! And I think she's a living dead!’" He shows the man telling the Mayor as the rest of the town followed him as a group. They all gasp in shock at the statement. “The people, so scared, took their guns and their swords.” He showed the others the guns, pitchforks, swords, and torches. The others watched in horror and dread as the humans gathered the weapons and started running towards the tower. “They ran to the tower and then… They saw the young lady and felt a great fear when they heard how she said it again!” He changes the scene to show Wishes in the second window. Her back is towards the people as she wipes her tears again. 

"Moi je m'appelle mademoiselle Noir. Et comme vous pouvez le voir. Je ne souris, ni ris, ni vis. Et c'est tout ce qu'elle a dit." 

She sings out louder than before. Scaring the people that she knew they were there. Fear consumed them, and they missed the heartbroken tone coming from her as she sang out. Green looks down in anger and grief. He knows the story too well. His hood falls as he unclasps his cloak and pulls it off. He lays it on his left arm before turning to face the window. Everyone gasps and suddenly it clicks. The reason why everything he did with one arm. The reason why it looked so awkward. He only has his left arm. He turns back to the scene.

“The people, they knew what this all was about.” He makes a fist as he stares at the villagers. To most of them, Green was just being cold, but to Leo and Sage, he was glaring with hatred. “She was clearly a demon from hell.” He looks away as tears flow down from behind the pixels. “They decided to set her long hair on fire! In the end, it would burn her as well!” 

He turns to the side as green-tinted tears flow down and collect at his chin. For a moment, they see a human instead of Green. However, that moment was too quick. Wishes turns around to see her hair catch on fire. She gasps as tears fill her eyes as she walks closer to the window. The people see her and see the mistake they made. 

But it’s too late to take it back.

Consea drops the rabbits he caught and runs to the tower. He calls out to her and she cries out to him. The villagers shrink back more. Green wipes his tears on his sleeve as he sits down.

“But the lady was no demon, she was a lonely soul. Just like in that book they once read. Still waiting for her prince while her hair was on fire! The one last time she said!” He sings loudly as he watches Consea try and find a way to put the fire out. He could only watch as the wooden windowsill also caught fire. Wishes cries out one last time as she reaches out to Consea.

"Moi je m'appelle mademoiselle Noir./ Moi je m'appelle mademoiselle Noir!” Wishes’ voice is soft and full of grief. Green’s voice is loud and raw with emotion. Their voices causing a haunting echo. “Et comme vous pouvez le voir. Je ne souris, ni ris, ni vis./ Et comme vous pouvez le voir! Je ne souris, ni ris, ni vis!” She moves further from the windowsill as the fire comes closer to her. Green screams out as he holds the soft fabric of his turtleneck. “Et c'est tout ce qu'elle a dit./ Et c'est tout ce qu'elle a dit!" 

Wishes burns alive and Consea takes a sword from a villager before plunging it into his heart. Green watches as the scene returns to clouds before rearranging into Wishes and Consea holding each other back in the garden. Wishes has burn marks and soot over their humerus’ and skull. The front of Consea’s blue robe is a dark purple with blood. He only holds Wishes close as he rocks them back and forth. Green smiles softly. before turning back around. And it isn’t until they see his smile do they realize that his mask isn’t on. The pixels come halfway off and he smiles softly at them before he goes back into the fog. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What?” Everyone looks in worry. Leo holds Sage in his lap as she curls up in the winter coat over her dress. Grillby holds them close to him as well. Sage turns back to Leo. Leo nods in response. 

“yep. that looks about right with what i patched up for him,” Leo whispers to Sage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wishes and Consea smile down at the humans and monsters walking around the planet. Wishes smiles down at them in fascination. Consea sighs as he rolls his eyes. He moves his arm to point to all the people down there.

“Look at how they crawl around. Upon the ground, like little ants.” He sings to Wishes as he pinches his fingers close together. Wishes giggles softly as they turn back to look back down at the people. 

“Yes, but how they fascinate, confusing fate.” Wishes pulls the floating wishes towards him. They fly around them before returning to the bushes. Wishes looks over their shoulder at Consea with a soft smile. “With what is merely Chance.” They look back down. 

“Isn’t it a laugh?” Consea looks down at them as he leans against Wishes’ back. Wishes looks away from both Consea and the other wishes floating around.

“Isn’t it a shame?”

“Thinking there is someone in the Heavens to blame!” Consea snorts softly as he rolls his eye lights. Wishes leans their head against Consea’s back as they reach a hand out towards the moon.

“Yes, but even while blaming fate for the lives that they lead, they wish for the lives that they need!” Other wishes come flying towards them. They smile at the small wish that came to both of them before both touching it and it flying down to the ground. “Living every Day ‘til the Day they die.” Consea rolls his eye lights again. “Never getting answers!” Wishes turn to face him.

“Yet still asking why! Going through the motions as if there will be a reward.” Wishes smiles as they twirl around in front of Consea. 

Consea ways them away and crosses his arms. “While we stay eternally bored!” 

“They’re only Human!” Wishes turns Consea around to face them. Wishes frowns at Consea as Consea’s eye sockets widen. He points down at the humans and mortals down on the ground. 

“They don’t see, who they are is who they’ll always be!” Wishes pulls away for a moment from the shout of Consea.

“Only Human, after all!”

“So they push and they shove!” Consea points down at a man shoving another down in front of another. Wishes studies the scene for a moment before smiling. They grab Consea’s hand and pull it down before lacing their fingers together.

“With this thing, they call Love ‘Til they fall.” 

He points out the pink sphere hovering over him and the other man. They watch as the pink sphere floats and splits into two and flies into both men. The man gets up before grabbing the other and twirling around. There is a blip and they’re sitting there again. Wishes is wiping at their tears with their sleeve. Consea only watches the monsters and humans as he rolls his eye lights and snarls softly.

“Isn’t it a farce?” He looks over his shoulder to look at Wishes. Wishes only looks away to the other side.

“Isn’t it a waste?” Consea looks startled by the question but doesn’t show it. Wishes only looks at their bushes, the different meaning they have.

“Struggling to Face what can never be faced.” Consea continues. Wishes doesn’t respond immediately but they sit up quickly as an idea comes to their mind.

“Yes, but maybe Death can release something more than we share?” Consea scoffs at the question.

“I really don’t know and don’t care.” Wishes can only sigh before tearing up.

“They’re only Human! Standing still!” She points to all of the humans standing around talking before continuing their hike up a mountain. A blue sphere flies close and without thinking, Wishes grants it. Upon realizing what they just did, Wishes tries to call the wish back. But it was too late.

“Doomed to live pushing boulders uphill!” Consea only watches as the wish flies down to one of the humans on the hike on the snow-covered mountain. Once the wish finds the wisher, an avalanche starts. WIshes cries out in pain and guilt.

“Only Human, after all!” Wishes reaches out to try and save them by holding the snow back.

“So we give and they take!” Consea watches before pulling Wishes to his chest and holding him as the avalanche hits.

“Hoping someone will help break their Fall!” Wishes cries as the wishes for survival come flooding from his mistake. They float weakly before he reaches out and grants two. Then the rest die out and he looks away in guilt.

“They will pray, curse, live, die!” Consea spits out with venom as he nurses Wishes’ broken bones. “Never knowing their Truth is another Monster’s Life!” Wishes whimpers before looking back down at the other humans and monsters. The garden hovers over a new town now. Wishes smiles at the people dancing in their festival meant for them.

“Eat, sleep, love, hate. Like a Leaf blowing in the Wind!” Their attention follows a leaf as it ‘dances’ down to the ground. Consea grunts as he watches the spheres change shapes and colors.

“Watch them all vacillate!” 

Another blip happens and now the story is near the present. Now, they both are missing an arm. Wishes is missing their left arm, and Consea is missing his right. Just like Green, who also is missing his right arm.

“They’re only Human! They can’t see-” Consea blinks and cuts Wishes off.

“All the fears they could give you and me?!” Wishes bites back their anger before starting to walk away.

“Only Human, after all! So we give and they take!” Consea grabs their arm and pulls them back into his chest.

“‘Til their silly Hearts break.” He moves his arm to hold her close as tears prick Wishes’ eye sockets.

“Looking down from above I’m intrigued by their Love!” Wishes watches as one monster gets down on one knee and proposes to another. As a pink wish flies down without any help and becomes granted. They hide their face in Consea’s robes and he sighs. 

“So let’s go.” 

Wishes looks perplexed before Consea jumps down to the ground with Wishes in his arm. As they fall through a layer of clouds, they’re forms merge, and Green leaves the clouds alone. He lands and uses his hooded cloak to cover his missing arm before pulling his mask up and walking towards the town.

“Hmmm, let’s go.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The screen goes black and everyone sits back in confusion. Leo smiles sadly at the screen before walking closer. He catches Green as he flies out of the screen, and looks to see him passed out. He turns around to everyone.

“He was waiting to tell you later. So, let him tell you when he’s ready.” Everyone nods and Sage smiles at them. Leo walks back to Grillby and lays against his chest as he lays Green’s head on his lap. Sage snuggles close to them as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if you caught on, but Green is a fusion of Wishes and Consea. Consea standing as a nickname for Consequences. They are like Dream and Nightmare, meaning they come from the same AU without a Papyrus. (GivingTale) However, they aren't brothers. More like lovers, but they aren't clear about what their relationship is. Meaning they don't know either. And the glowing spheres are other people's and monsters' wishes.


	8. No, Medicine shouldn't hurt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Medicine By Kelly Clarkson  
> No By Megan Trainor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Misters, Mrs., and Mysteries! Please take your seats and grab your popcorn! Please welcome to the stage, Sage Dreamurr!

The screen crackles to life and Kitsune looks at Sage. Their hand makes a come motion. Sage stands up without question. She gives Leo a look and Leo nods before nodding back. 

“She doesn’t want anyone to stop her. If she’s going, she’s going her way.” Everyone looks frustrated but one look at Sage lets them know to drop it. 

“That’s a good girl. Come here.” Sage stops and glares at Kitsune. “ Oh~ Feisty. I wonder what you would say if you could speak properly. We could find out.” Sage’s eye sockets widen and she nods. She makes her way through the screen as she grabs the sleeves of the winter coat. Her navy blue flats softly tap against the ground. She stands in front of Kitsune and looks up at them before noticing something above them. Her eye sockets widen as she shakes. “Hmm? Did you see something up there?” Kitsune slaps her and Sage stands up straight with a glare as she shakes. “Speak.”

“Don’t you dare hurt my brother.” She growls and everyone looks surprised at her full voice. She grabs the front of Kitsune’s outfit before pulling them down to her height. “And don’t you dare call me a good girl.” They smirk.

“Huh. It was true. Your confidence comes from your voice.” Sage growls as she lets go of Kitsune. “What if I gave you a chance to get revenge on those who hurt you?” Sage’s eye sockets widen as she brings a hand to the cracks on her neck. Kitsune only smiles. “That’s what I thought.” Kitsune disappears and Sage waits for a moment. She looks around before looking back up where everyone else can’t see.

“Don’t worry brother! I’ll find a way up there!” _Brother? I didn’t know Sage had a Papyrus._ They hear a faint cough.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be okay. Just do your best in this game. Okay?” Everyone goes cold as the voice of Ink trails down from above. Ink can only smile at her in hopes to relieve her as ink drips from the corner of his mouth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sage looks around again before backing up and running. She takes three steps forward before a bone pushes her up. She reaches out for Ink, only to miss. She summons a gaster blaster and catches herself on it. She crouches on it. As she looks at what she has. Strings, her magic, and- well. Now let’s see. She has a stage, poles, hoops on a rope, long ribbons, strings, a mic stand, and things from the circus. This… She can work with this. She uses her blaster to stay hidden from view above the stage. Ink can only softly smile at her. ‘Go.’ She can only screw her face up as she tries to silently go closer.

“Ow! What the hell?!” She freezes at the voice. She knows that voice. Spear crazy.

“Oh hush up! There is no reason for that language.” Mother.

“W-What are we d-doing here? I-I was working on s-something.” Doctor.

“You’re always working, you never spend any more time with me! At least Willow would spend time with me.” She freezes as she grabs the sleeves of her jacket. That’s not her name. 

“Willow? I forgot that you like to name your pets even if it isn’t her name.” She tenses even more. That’s… That’s scalding. His touch is burning. She has burn scars from him. How… How could they talk about her as if she wasn’t there!

“Darling, no one cares about its name. It was only good for bringing in money.” That one hurt. She frowns. Does that damned mask want a show? She’ll give them a show.

Their souls ping and suddenly they’re tied in red strings. Toriel and Undyne try to struggle out of them. Mr. Grillby tries to burn his way out of the strings as Alphys and Metton stay put. Kitsune walks onto the stage.

“Get ready for a show you won’t forget.” 

They walk away from any questions thrown at them. Sage stays on her blaster as the music starts up. She drapes herself in a way that her blue dress reveals nothing and her winter coat pops her red eye-light more. She rolls up the sleeves just a little to show her hands. Ink’s eye sockets widen at the white scars littering her black ecto hands. She smiles up at Ink and winks. ‘Watch brother.’ she mouths back to him. She quietly clears her throat. Even if it’s been a while since having her full voice, she knows the songs.

“I think it's so cute, and I think it's so sweet.” She starts out singing. It catches everyone off guard and Grillby stops struggling. He hasn’t heard that voice since he cracked her throat too many times. “How you let your friends encourage you to try and talk to me.” She starts to make her way down on her blaster. Once everyone can see her, everyone in the room goes slack-jawed. Sage, as they know her, is a pacifist. Here she is, riding on a blaster that they didn’t know she could even summon. She smiles softly at them before turning her attention to the others in front of the stage. She makes her way over to Mr. Grillby. Mr. Grillby opens his mouth to speak. 

“But let me stop you there, oh, before you speak...” She brings a finger to his mouth to shush him. She leans forward on the blaster as if she’s gonna kiss him. He closes his eyes and she does too. Before she opens her eyes and pulls away. “Nah to the ah to the, no, no, no.” She shoves his face away as well. This gesture gets a snort out of most of her friends. Ink chuckles from where he is. Undyne smirks as she watches Sage.

“Sa-”

“My name is no.” She cuts Mr. Grillby off. “My sign is no. My number is no.” She steps onto the stage and rubs the blaster on the muzzle before looking over her shoulder. “You need to let ‘it’ go.” She glares at Metton before turning the glare to Undyne. “You need to let her go.” She finally turns to Mr. Grillby “Need to let me go.” He opens his mouth to reason with her. She closes her eye sockets as she waves him off. “Nah to the ah to the, no, no, no.”

“My name is no!” She punches Undyne in the stomach before walking toward Alphys. “My sign is no!” She swings her leg up before swinging it down on Alphys’s shoulder. She cries out in pain. “My number is no!” She sways her hips as she walks to Metton and slams him on the side of his head with a bone staff. “You need to let ‘it’ go. You need to let her go. Need to let me go.” She walks back to the middle of the stage with a sway of her hips. “Nah to the ah to the, no, no, no.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Holy shit. Did that just happen?” Error looks at Leo and Green. Green grins and nods.

“Yup. Don’t let her fool you. She may not like to fight but if you get her mad enough, she won’t go easy.” Cross snickers as he feels the amusement come from Ink’s soul. Dream smiles and Blue winces at the sound.

“Just be lucky she hasn’t acted on a violent thought with you guys. I don't know if she's had a violent thought about you guys though.” Killer, Nightmare, and Dust all gulp at what she could do if she finds out that they were the cause of the loss of Leo’s second child.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She keeps her movements and snaps her hips to the beat of the song. She stands facing away from them. “First, you gonna say you ain't runnin' game,” She unbuttons her winter coat and lets it fall off her shoulders. It exposes scars that the others haven’t seen. They gasp at the x shaped scar on her left shoulder with the fainter white scars on her black ecto body. She turns around to face the ‘audience.’ “Thinkin' I'm believing every word.” She takes her coat off and tosses it off to the side. Showing the amount of white and grey scars littering her shoulders, arms, hands, upper back, and chest. She stands proudly as almost everyone gasps and cringes at them. 

“Call me beautiful, so original.” She rests a hand on her hip as she rolls her eye lights. “Telling me I'm not like other girls.” She brings a hand to her right eye light where it’s broken into two halves. She shakes her head before walking closer to Toriel. “I was in my zone before you came along.” She grabs Toriel by her dress and slamming her over her knee. “Now I'm thinking maybe you should go.” She drops Toriel.

“M-my ch-chil-”

“Blah, blah, blah, blah.” Sage walks away while mocking Toriel with her hand. She stops to look over her shoulder to look at Toriel. “I be like nah to the ah, to the no, no, no.” She struts herself to the middle of the stage as she would back in the bar. 

“All my buddies listen up.” She turns her attention to her friends. She smiles at their slack-jaws. She rolls her eye-lights as she continues. “If that boy ain't giving up.” She jerks her thumb in Mr. Grillby’s direction. “Lick your ‘lips’ and swing your hips.” She sexually swings her hips as she makes her way towards him. “Guys all you gotta say is…” She grabs his tie and pulls him close. He stares at her chest hungrily and she looks him up and down before pushing him onto the ground. Her face scrunched up with a snarl of disgust as she noticed where his gaze was. “My name is no.” She lifts a foot into the air, her shoe moves just a bit showing the past fractures that left permanent cracks on her ankle. Everyone stares at it before noticing Mr. Grillby trying to see higher up from under her dress. She growls softly in a warning. “My sign is no.” She stomps her foot on his chest hard. It shocks him out of looking and everyone winces at the sound of the contact. The emotions on her face are her rage and relief. “My number is no.” She twists her heel into his chest before kicking him in the chin in time with the lyrics. Everyone in the room winces every time that her foot, read mainly her heel, makes contact with Mr. Grillby’s chin. “You need to let her go. You need to let her go. Need to let me go.” She walks away from him back to the center of the stage where she sways to the music before starting to dance. “Nah to the ah to the, no, no, no.”

“My name is no. My sign is no. My number is no. You need to let me go. You need to let her go. Need to let me go. Nah to the ah to the, no, no, no.” She dances her way over to a pole. She looks it up and down before turning her attention to the small ‘audience’ sitting up now staring at her with anger. She softly snorts as she rolls her eyes. She knows the way to get them to forget about their anger. It’s always been the same way. Sway your hips, show you want it and they won’t remember anything else.

“Thank you in advance.” She tilts her skull to the side as she wraps a leg around the pole. It shows her bones up to her knees, where her ecto body starts. Undyne and Mr. Grillby lick their lips in anticipation of seeing more of her. “I don't wanna dance.” 

She makes a grinding motion against the bar. Mr. Grillby, Alphys, and Undyne all blush at the wink. They don’t care that it held no emotion towards them. She wraps her legs around the pole, holding herself up sideways. Her dress is still covering everything, she’s done this countless times so she knows what movements would expose her and what wouldn’t. Although she is happy about kicking and punching the people from her Au. She glares at Mr. Grillby and Undyne.

“I don't need your hands all over me!” She moves to grope herself with a death glare at Mr. Grillby and Undyne. Alphys looks away as the shame of knowing she only made it worst for Sage comes back to her. She pulls herself off the pole and makes her way to Mr. Grillby. “If I want a man.” He puffs his chest in pride as Undyne deflates a little. “Then I'mma get a man!” She pokes him harshly in the chest as she maintains eye contact. He looks away from her cracked right socket and the cracks on her left cheek. Undyne smirks at the new chance she has. She flicks him on the forehead as she walks away. “But it's never my priority! I was in my zone before you came along, don't want you to take this personal.” She rolls her eye-lights once more before kicking Undyne’s reaching arms away from her. “Blah, blah, blah, I be like nah to the ah to the, no, no, no.” She only teases Undyne with a soft touch under her chin. Undyne follows her. “It’s a look don’t touch rule now,” Sage explains softly as she bends closer towards Undyne. 

Undyne nods softly as she looks at Sage’s cleavage, trying to see down her shirt without touching. Leo growls at the advancements made on his daughter. On his cub. Grillby holds him close so then he doesn't do something he'll regret. Green only smiles at the harsh kicks and punches she keeps dishing out. The way she can dance, sing, and fight makes sense now. Green can only encourage Sage to keep going. Sage sees his encouragement and smiles. She makes eye-contact with him. Quite a few others chuckle at her revenge and how she toys with them. Toriel growls softly before Sage side kicks her head and she falls to the ground.

“All my buddies listen up. If that boy ain't giving up.” She walks closer to the window with a smirk. She sways her hips as she walks. “Lick your ‘lips’ and swing your hips. Guys all you gotta say is…” She strikes a pose for a moment with a smile and wink at Green. Green laughs before whistling to her. Mr. Grillby sees the gesture and the wink towards Green and growls. “My name is no. My sign is no. My number is no.” She emphasizes the ‘no’s with a kick to Undyne and Grillby as she jumps. She dusts herself off as she walks closer to the window with a smile. A genuine smile. As she turns around, she throws a bone staff at Metton. It hits him and he goes down as she giggles. “You need to let it go! You need to let me go! Need to let me go!” She steps with forceful but light steps on Toriel’s back as she stays on beat. “Nah to the ah to the, no, no, no.”

While none of them can quite hear her steps, they can hear the snap of the sound of the force she steps with. She summons another blaster. “My name is no. My sign is no. My number is no.” She softly pets its muzzle again before stepping softly and lightly on it. She sits down on its forehead. “You need to let me go. You need to let her go. Need to let her go.” The blaster starts to fly around with her sitting on it. She goes around the group of people from her Au twice. “Nah to the ah to the, no, no, no.” Sage pushes off the blaster and starts to free fall towards the ground. Leo cries out before the other blaster catches Sage. She stands up on this one as the first comes for more pats. She smiles as she pats it. “I'm feeling… Untouchable, untouchable.” She grins wickedly at the people below her. She flys back to the stage before going higher. She bends down and jumps up. “I'm feeling untouchable, untouchable!” She uses the strings to go higher. She almost reaches Ink. “I'm feeling untouchable, untouchable. I'm feeling- Nah to the ah to the, no, no, no-” She misses the last string to get to Ink. She starts to fall before doing tricks in the air. She grabs onto one of the hoops and uses it to swing herself to the ground.

She lands gracefully on her toes before letting the rest of her feet touch the ground. She stands up to see all the wide eyes and jaws dropped. “I'm feeling untouchable, untouchable.” Just to make it better, she sexually dances right in front of Mr. Grillby and Undyne. Just barely out of reach of them. She snickers as they try to grab her. “I'm feeling untouchable, untouchable.” One hand gets too close to her ankle and she steps on it with her heel. Causing Undyne to let out a cry of pain. She smirks. “I'm feeling untouchable, untouchable.” She grabs the wrist of Mr. Grillby and twists sharply. While there are no bones there, Grillby lets out a shout of pain as she twists at an angle that dislocates the magma of his shoulder. Everyone in the room lets out a hiss of pain from the sound. Suddenly a few people feel very unsafe with Leo deciding their fate if he tells her or not. She giggles louder. “I'm feeling- Nah to the ah to the, no, no, no.” She dances some more as she makes her way to Alphys and walks over her to Metton. She grabs him and flings him into Toriel. 

“All my buddies listen up!” She points to her friends with a serious look on her face. “If that boy ain't giving up.” She points out the doms and then looks up at Ink as a reminder for him to listen to her. “Lick your ‘lips’ and swing your hips.” She brings her arms above her skull and swings her hips side to side. “Guys all you gotta say is: My name is no. My sign is no. My number is no.” 

She ducks through every attack thrown at her as she dances, still staying on beat. She smiles wider as she tackles Undyne before straddling her to keep her pinned to the ground. “You need to let me go. You need to let her go.” She stomps on Undyne’s stomach before leaving her on the ground. “Need to let me go.” She coos gently at Mr. Grillby. She smiles as she shakes her head at him. “Nah to the ah to the, no, no, no.” Most of her friends laugh and ‘oh!’ at the flat out rejection causing her to smile wider. “My name is no. My sign is no. My number is no.” She goes ahead and hits them all once more. She smiles with what looks like glare at Mr. Grillby and Toriel before turning to the others. 

“You need to let it go. You need to let it go. Need to let it go” She rolls her eye-lights “Nah to the ah to the, no, no, no.” She creates a wall of bones around the stage as she dances and sings. “I'm feeling untouchable, untouchable!” She smiles as they try to get through the first layer of bones before adding a second one that moves around inside the first layer. “I'm feeling untouchable, untouchable!” She sits down on a blaster with a smile as she strokes its skull. It softly rumbles with appreciation. “I'm feeling untouchable, untouchable!” She smiles wider as the blaster lifts off the ground and flies just out of reach of the others. Leo and Green snort at this. Knowing that she hasn’t changed. “Nah to the ah to the, no, no, no.” She wags her finger at them below her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone in the room stares at her as she waves at them. Green whistles loudly before Leo starts to clap for both of them. The others join in and Cross smiles at relief, joy, and pride coming from Ink’s soul. Green smiles widely as he gives her a thumbs up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mr. Grillby growls at Green before turning his head towards Sage as the blaster brings her down. “You’re having an affair?!” Everyone goes silent. No one knew Sage is married. She only raises an eyebrow ridge as she gets closer to him. 

“Affair? Oh ‘honey,’” She makes air quotes as well, “I was never your wife. Nor will I ever want to be.” She rolls her eye lights as she lands back on the ground and walks up to him. She raises her bone staff to his neck and lifts his head. “And you should know not to assume. Green?” She jerks her head towards him. “He’s my brother. And the one next to him? That’s Mom. Don’t mess with me or my family.” Leo only cracks his knuckles as he makes eye contact with Grillby.

“That’s not true! I’m your mother!” Toriel pushes herself up and Sage snorts softly as she laughs.

“Oh, Toriel, you were never my mother. Leo is more of a mom than you’ll ever be!” She marches up to Toriel and pushes her down. She stands on Toriel’s chest. “At least Leo doesn’t treat me like a servant! And you!” She takes her foot off of Toriel and glares at Metton. “You! I am a monster! I am not an object! Get that through your thick-ass metal before I rip you apart with my own hands!” 

Her mouth falls to a thin line as she walks up to Alphys. Alphys looks up at her in fear. “I expected more from you. You would bury yourself in work so you wouldn’t be the one being used at night. Or for her to train with. You. Made. My. Life. Hell.” She bends down close to Alphys’s ear. “So I hope you burn there.” She walks away to only punch Undyne. 

“You aren’t allowed to do this! Or I’ll-” Sage turns her whole upper body towards Mr. Grillby.

“Or you’ll what?!” She fakes fear as fake tears build in her sockets. “P-put the s-shock collar on me again? Wait, that wasn’t you. You would break my bones!” Leo and Green look away in sadness while the others gasp and cover their mouths. Sage stomps up to him and grabs his vest. “Listen here, Spark. You. Can’t. Touch. Me. Anymore.” She chuckles. “Nothing you did was because you loved me. You bought me from Scrapheap over there. You bought me because of how rare I am and good that would look for you and your bar. But, you sold me off. You sold me to my freedom!” She glances back towards Leo and Green. “Leo and Green found me, and they gave me what I haven’t had since I was twelve!” Tears burn her eye sockets as she yells at him. Leo and Green smile at her growth in confidence and strength to stand up for herself as everyone else pales further. “They are my family. Even Papa agreed that I should go with them. So I went and now, I’m free and I am damn proud of who I am now!” She lets go and turns her back to her Au. “So don’t think that any of you can do what you want to me. I am free, and even if not…My power is boss tier. so you can’t even touch me if you wanted to keep your life.” Mr. Grillby growls.

“That not true! If you’re truly boss tier you would’ve done something sooner!” Sage doesn’t respond but looks up at Ink. Ink can only look at her in sympathy and nods. She tunes Mr. Grillby out as She feels a pulse of pride and love come from Leo and Green. Ink only smiles at her that shows that he’s proud of her. “Sage~ I know you want me as well.” She rolls her eye lights. 

“Get over yourself.” She grumbles to herself before an idea hits her. She turns around and walks over to him. She puts a finger under his chin as she uses a bone to be taller. “Do you want a song? Maybe one for you?” Mr. Grillby only nods thinking that he won her over. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Oh shit. She’s got that look again. Shit’s about to go down. Show him who’s in charge Sage!” Green shouts at her even if she can’t hear him Leo chuckles and cheers on Sage as well. Leo leans into Grillby.

“She’s about to do something that will either hurt them, destroy them, scar them, scare them, or maybe even all of that.” Leo sighs as Grillby wraps his arms around Leo.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The beat kicks in as Sage shoves them into their seats. She makes her way onto the stage with a smirk. She stares directly at Mr. Grillby as she starts to dance. She kicks the knocked over the mic stand and starts to hum to music. She looks to her side before looking up at Ink. “Bet you won't like to hear that!” She points at Mr. Grillby with a forced smirk on her face. Her left red eye-light softly pulses a glow while her right eye-light struggles to stay together. 

“Since we've been over, got that stress off my back!” Her smirk only widens as she tilts her head up and kicks the mic and stand away. She winks at him before stepping onto her blaster again. “I'm living my life like a celebration! Changed up my vision like a revelation!” She giggles as her second blaster brings her back her jacket. She slips it on as she sits down on the first blaster. Her facial expression hardens and grows darker than the rest notices. “You gave me fever love but too much drama. And I ain't even worried 'bout it 'cause I'm too far gone now!” She uses the blaster to fly a little farther up “Far gone now, oh yeah.” She smiles at her friends and her family as she stands upon the skull. She stares down at Mr. Grillby and the others. “I ain't even thinkin' 'bout you.” She turns away and Green snickers softly at her tone. “I ain't even thinkin' 'bout you! Don't talk about you!” She smirks as she sways her hips and turns around. “Almost forgot about you!” Everyone in the room laughs at the statement and Mr. Grillby’s heartbroken face. 

Undyne only smirks as she tries to puff out her chest to catch Sage’s attention. Sage notices and raises an eyebrow ridge before rolling her eye-lights. “Said I ain't even thinkin' 'bout you! I ain't even thinkin' 'bout you! Don't talk about ya, I almost forgot about you!” She deflated as well as Sage summons one more blaster. The other two fly around her and the first blaster as she circles around her Au. She aims near them and fires her blasters. Unlike the others, her blasters shoot blasts of energy like rapid-fire bullets. She watches them run around with a small smile on her face. She lightly twirls as she continues firing at them.

“So watch out! 'Cause your love's not allowed!” She frowns down at them. She brings a hand to the burn marks shaped as fingertips on her chest. “Your touch don't heal now. I'm good!” She takes her hand away before jumping down to the stage. She twirls as she falls to the stage. “And I know without it I'm strong!” She lands on her feet and flexes her arms like she’s flexing her mussels with a giggle. To everyone’s surprise, she’s got decent-sized mussels. “Can't hold me down long! I'm not bothered anymore!” She giggles as she dances around. The first blaster joins in on the chaos. She smiles as she struts closer to the edge of the stage. 

“You can't get me high. Never got me lit. Never bring me up.” Her hands glow with blue magic and suddenly her Au is floating in the air before being slammed down on the ground. Her arms move at the same time as they do. She strikes a pose as she slams them onto the ground. “Always drag me down. I'm through with it. You ain't my medicine.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Who taught her blue magic? I didn’t know she could use blue magic?” Blue and Dream turn towards Leo and Green. Leo looks over at them from his spot leaning on Grillby. Leo looks at them in confusion. 

“You expect me to go and let my cub out into the multiverse without teaching her the best of the magic she can use?” Leo huffs as he leans back into Grillby. Green only smiles.

“Leo took her to Classic. He is the best at blue magic that we’ve seen.” Everyone else lets out an ‘oh.’ in understanding. Cross focuses on Ink’s soul to see it come closer after he sent a pulse of courage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I gave you plenty of chances!” She storms her way over to the blue-souled Mr. Grillby. “To heal my soul but you just caused more damage!” She brings a hand to her vertebrae as he looks away. She grabs his face and squeezes his cheeks firmly, forcing him to look at her. “How does it feel to know I'm better off without you playin' games around my head a thousand times?! I almost damn near lost my mind!”

She pulls away with a snap of her hips. She sways her hips as she walks back to the stage. “I ain't even thinkin' 'bout you. I ain't even thinkin' 'bout you. Couldn’t talk after you!” She brings her hand to her vertebrae again as she stops before turning around again. “How could I forget about that?!” He looks away and she makes her way to Metton as she starts to dance. Her movements are fluid as she makes sure to pin him down. Once she gets to him, she brings a finger under his chin and lifts his head. “I ain't even thinkin' 'bout you. I ain't even thinkin' 'bout you. We don’t talk about it!” He looks down at her ankles and she catches his line of sight. “You cannot forget about that!” She summons another bone staff before smacking him in the chest. She dances her way back towards the stage again. 

“So watch out! 'Cause your love's not allowed! Your touch don't heal now! I'm good!” She stares down at Toriel before smirking. She’s enjoying herself as she dances. “And I know without it I'm strong!” She flexes again, making her friends chuckle at her. “Can't hold me down long! I'm not bothered anymore!” She launches herself into the air with a bone and catches herself on a blaster. Her sly smile gives her plan away before she starts to fire her blasters again. This time with her on one at the same time. She giggles as she keeps her balance and her hands glow again with blue magic. 

"You can't get me high, never got me lit. Never bring me up, always drag me down." She makes them go up in the air as she continues to blast at them before slamming them back on the ground. "I'm through with it. You ain't my medicine." She lands on the ground and starts walking towards the window. Everyone notices how her expression darkened. "Like damn. Always felt so cold. Always felt so cold." She sighs as she gets even closer before smiling softly. "Had to let that go. I'm better on my own." She turns around one last time with a glare. "You ain't my medicine." She huffs as she walks through the window back into the room. She lets out an 'oof' as she's tackle hugged by Green. Leo follows soon after.

"We're proud of you. You did wonderfully." Leo nuzzles her skull before frowning. "Your bow is crooked." Leo quickly straightens out the bow and Sage giggles. 

"It feels good to speak properly again." She smiles and everyone smiles back. Nightmare, Killer, and Dust all sweat nervously at her stare at them. She quirks an eyebrow ridge. "Is something wrong?" They all quickly shake their skulls. Too quickly for her taste and she reads it wrong. "What? Just because I'm a girl you don't think I can fight? Is that it? I ain't no wuss! Why don’t I show you how to whoop an ass into next week?!" They all yelp and Green laughs as he scoops her up.

"Alright. Alright. Sage, they didn't mean anything about it. It's just… they know you as not fighting. As a pacifist. Not this! We get it. Now that you can properly speak, your confidence has grown." She sighs as she stops struggling. She lays in his arms and calms down as the other three thank the heavens and Green for stopping Sage. They all turn back to the screen as it crackles back to life.

"That was quite a show. I liked it. You did well." Sage rolls her eye lights.

"What's it to you? You wanted a show, I wanted revenge, and it's a part of the business. Now, give me my brother back right now." She narrows her eye sockets at Kitsune. They hear a tutting sound come from them. 

"No, no. Toys do not speak back. I finish playing when I get bored. Now- shut up." They hear Ink in the background.

"O-or what? You'll play with me again?" His snark is back. It came back with more courage with the feeling of the pulse of his brother's magic. "Tell me something. Why do this? If all you wanted was entertainment… why do this? I know you. You'll still want your happy ending. So why go through all of this?" They don't respond. "Oh, and great performance Sage! It was wonderful!"

"Shut up, Sketch." 

"Why? I wasn't even talking to you- Gah!"

"I said- SHUT UP." The sound of liquid falling sounds after her. Silence fills the room minus the soft sound of cracking. Error turns to Cross. He takes Ink's soul and heals it as best as he can. Sage hurries over and finishes the job of healing. Kitsune only huffs. “Rest now. You’ve used a lot of magic. I don’t want to see any of you dust before I’m done playing.” The screen goes black and they all sit there in silence. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if you caught on in the first set of notes. But lemme clear it up, Sage is Asgore's adopted daughter, not Toriel's. She bought Sage and claimed her as her child, which Sage hated. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	9. Moral is that I'm here for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moral of the story (feat. Niall Horan) by Ashe and Niall Horan

Leo softly licks away Sage's tears as he holds her close like a lioness would to her cub. Sage can only giggle as Leo gently nips at her navy blue bow and adjust it. Leo lets Sage go and she moves to rest on his stomach. Grillby watches in fascination and love as Leo stares at Green. Green smiles as he rolls his eye lights and shuffles over to Leo's muzzle. Leo purrs softly as he gently moves Green's hood down and nuzzles him. Green chuckles as Leo inspects him once more. Leo softly chuffs at him before licking him once. Green smiles before moving over to Sage. Leo purrs softly before turning his head towards Cross. He stares at Cross and Cross looks back at him in confusion. Sage smiles and then laughs.

"Uh oh. Cross~ It's your turn for grooming." Sage laughs out. Cross blinks once in confusion. Dream snickers softly at his confusion.

"But I took a shower yesterday." Leo only narrows his eyes at him and Cross stands up immediately. Everyone laughs as he quickly makes his way over without question.

Grillby rolls his eyes lovingly. "Leo, you have to stop adopting kids. At this point, we'll have too many before we have our own." 

Leo freezes mid chuff and turns to Grillby. His flames spike and become a rosy pink and Cross yelps from the surprise. Sage and Green only laugh at Leo's expression. Leo only shakes his head before turning back to Cross. He gently nudges Cross's hood down and nuzzles him. He stares at Cross's scar and gently licks it, as well as accidentally getting his eye socket. Everyone laughs again at Cross's startled expression. Leo softly chuffs before looking over Cross. He gently adjusts Cross's jacket and scarf before nudging him back to Dream. Dream blushes from trying to keep his laughter in.

"So? How was it? Being groomed?" Blue looks at Cross who still has a stunned expression.

"He licked my eye socket." Everyone laughs at the statement before Cross shakes out of it. "But it was nice, it was… reassuring. Ink would like it." 

Leo nods and Error smiles down at Ink's soul. They all sit there waiting for what will happen next. Leo softly croons to the rest of them and stares at Ink’s soul. Grillby rests his forehead against Leo’s. They stay like that before Leo softly nips at Grillby’s flames and Grillby chuckles. Green holds Sage close to his chest as he snuggles in Leo’s flames. There is a silence before Leo suddenly jerks his head off of Grillby and quickly grabs Green, who is still holding Sage, and tries to toss them away as his soul pings again. He’s forced back into his normal skeleton form only to notice that no one caught his cubs as their souls ping as well. He reaches out to Grillby as they’re thrown through the screen again. He lands first and quickly catches his cubs and holds them both close. As they become covered in fog, Kitsune walks to the screen.

“Let’s see this ‘family’ at the start.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Green sits softly on a deep red couch none of them know. In front of him is a dark fireplace waiting to be lit. Leo peeks his head out from around the corner of the doorway and sighs. He keeps a straight face, but he looks so tired. He makes sure to keep his left socket towards Green to watch him as he thinks about his options. He scrunches his frame a little as he holds a red cloth close to his chest. He walks over to Green and silently wraps the cloth, which everyone notes as his hooded cloak, around his shoulders before lighting the fireplace. He walks into the kitchen and walks back with a mug of tea and another of coffee. He hands Green the tea before sitting down to the right of him in silence. It’s nothing like how he acts now. He’s colder and not as caring. He looks at Green by the side of his socket and nods at him. Green softly sighs as he looks down at his tea. 

“So I never really knew him. God, I really tried to.” He softly sings. His accent is thicker than before. His hand softly shakes and Leo listens as he looks over the fire. He takes a sip of his tea as Leo looks over at him. Tears fill his eye sockets and Leo turns back to the fire.

Time flashes forward and it shows something like the same scene with Sage on the couch this time. There are more pillows and a few blankets on the couch. They’re placed in a pattern to create a small safe space for the shaking skeleton. Green is sitting on the soft burgundy carpet as Leo hands out mugs to each of them. He gives Sage a mug full of golden-flower tea with a reassuring smile and a kind eye-light. Her right eye-light is completely fizzed out, flickering now and then as she stares at them. She shakily takes it and everyone notices how fresh some of her wounds are. Her neck with the cracks has a soft white imprint where the black ecto-body starts. Green smiles softly at the mug of tea Leo hands him before lighting the fireplace again. Leo sets his mug down as he wraps Sage in a soft blanket, she flinches softly and he makes sure to show her what he’s doing. He looks less tired and shows more emotion. He sits down on her right and holds his mug close. They watch as she takes a sip of her tea.

“blindsided,” She covers her right eye socket. She softly whimpers as tears collect in her sockets, it burns the cracks a little. “addicted.” She then moves her hand to where the imprint of the collar was. That collar never came off until they were able and willing to take it off. Leo and Green look between each other in worry.

“thought I could really do this. but really, I was foolish. hindsight, it’s… obvious.” She cries as Leo holds her in his lap and rubs her back in small circles. He has his tears in his sockets as he holds her even closer. It wasn’t surprising since that’s how he acts already. Green comes over with a small bowl of tea cakes on the top of his skull and a mug of tea in his hand. His balance is perfect and he successfully captures her attention. She lets out a wet giggle as she makes a soft grabby motion for the tea. Everyone notices that they’re a little further in the future based on clothes and the decorations of the living room. Even Sage’s wounds were healing or scared over.

It flashes back to when it was only Leo and Green. Green sets his tea down and stares into the flames. The flashback plays for everyone to see. They see Green, with a bandage wrap around where his arm used to be. He opens his eye sockets into the mindscape where Green, Wishes, and Consea can exist at the same time. “Talking with my ‘mother’. She said,” Wishes rushes to him and cups his cheekbone with her right hand. Tears well in her eye sockets.

“Where’d you find this guy?” Consea moves to stand next to her and uses his left hand to wipe Green’s tears. Green nuzzles into Wishes’ hand and covers her hand with his.

“I said, ‘Young people fall in love with the wrong people sometimes.’” His accent and tears make it almost impossible to understand him. 

Wishes can only choke back her sobs as she presses her forehead against his as she sings softly back to him. She feels his pain and closes her sockets as her tears drip from her lower jaw. “Some mistakes get made. That’s alright, that’s okay. You can think that you’re in love when you’re really just in pain.” Her voice would crack if she sings any louder. Consea can only look at Green’s missing arm as Wishes pulls away to wipe his tears. He brings his arm up to his missing arm with regret of letting this man get away with this crime. 

“Some mistakes get made. That’s alright, that’s okay.” The flashback ends and Green blinks as he sighs before looking back at his tea with his green-tinted tears making their trails down his face without stopping. “In the end, it’s better for me. That’s the moral of the story, maybe.” He shrugs and Leo stares at him. He doesn’t show his reaction, but he moves closer and wraps an arm around Green’s shoulders, being gentle with his right shoulder. He holds Green close as he comforts him. Green sits there stunned before nodding his skull with a sad look.

The screen flashes backward, and it’s night. Leo shoots up on Classic’s couch. Tears fill his eye sockets as he reaches to touch his engagement choker. He softly runs his phalanges over the embroidered flame and then covers his mouth and he lets out a shaky breath. His chuckle is broken as he holds his legs close to his chest. “It’s funny how a memory...Turns into a bad dream.” He looks out a window to watch the snow, reminiscing when he was back in his Au, playing in the snow with Sirius and Asriel. He looks away quickly and schools his expression into a blank one. It blinks back to the scene with Sage on the couch in Leo’s arms. Leo continues to rock her gently back and forth as she clings to him.

“and running wild turns volatile. it’s not funny how it changes.” Her singing is hoarse and broken. Nothing like what she had sounded like earlier. Her voice is so broken and she stops to bring a hand close to her vertebrae, but she doesn’t touch it. She pulls away from Leo and whimpers as she points to her throat and he can only sadly nod before handing her a mug of warm honey tea. The scene burns up and it’s back at the start. 

“Ended up a stranger.” Green looks into his mug and Leo only clenches his jaw a little tighter. “When he burned down our paper house.” 

Green looks into the fire as more tears fall. He wipes his tears with his sleeve before rubbing the empty socket where his arm would’ve been. Leo catches the motion and only pats Green softly on the back. He offers a small reassuring smile to Green with the soft words of “you’re safe now.” And Green collapses into Leo’s side with sobs. It startles Leo before he sets his mug down and hugs him with both arms. Green cries himself to sleep and Leo leaves him on the couch as his form changes to his fire lion form. He grabs Green softly with his teeth and lays down right in front of the fireplace and curls around him before resting his muzzle on his front paws. The scene changes again and Leo is slowly coaxing Sage to him. He smiles at her softly as he sits down on the tile. She studies his expression and body language as she sits there on the tile. The Asgore of this Au is watching from the next room. Green leans against a wall with his hood up as he holds a wish close to him. The wish is small and takes the color of yellow and white.

“Talking with your father. He said to love you like you're my cub.” Leo signs to Sage and Sage’s sockets widen. 

She turns to Asgore and he nods his head with a soft sad smile. Tears fill her sockets as she slowly crawls her way over to him using only her arms and thighs. She can’t move too quickly, and the reason soon shows itself. One look at her outfit makes the others confused. She is wearing what seems to be a waitress outfit but the shoes and socks were removed and her ecto body ends at her knee caps as it does now. But that wasn’t the issue, because on her tibia and fibula, for both legs, were deep cracks running from the outside going inward. She can’t use her legs at the moment because of this. Leo slowly takes her hand into his and places a small tea cake into it. She looks at it and when she looks up, they’re back on the couch and Green is holding the small bowl of cakes. Leo grabs her cheekbones and looks her dead in the sockets with a soft eye-light. 

He softly wipes her tears away with his thumbs. “But some people fall in love with the wrong people sometimes.” She nods sadly as she leans into his hand. She holds onto his wrist and lets her eye-lights drift to the cracks that act like scars on her ankles. Green only moves closer to take over for Leo as he goes to get more tea for Sage.

“Some mistakes get made. That’s alright, that’s okay. You can think that you’re in love. When you’re really just in pain.” He softly sings to her as he scoops her up in his arm. She barely flinches, but quickly relaxes into his chest. He sits down on the couch with her half on him, half on the couch. He makes sure that his hold on her is soft and easy for her to get out of. She rests on him as she cries.

“some mistakes get made. that’s alright, that’s okay.” She tries to sing back to him. She only can cry a little more as she remembers the time when she had her voice before all of this. He moves his hand to hers and softly intertwines their pinky fingers. 

“In the end, it’s better for us. That’s the moral of the story.” They both sing together as Sage moves her whole body onto him. They lay there as Leo comes back with his tray of three mugs and small tart apple candies in a dish. He smiles at both of them before draping a blanket over them. The screen shows a jump in time to when they wake up. Leo is sitting next to the fireplace, reading as he grabs smaller flames and eats them. He makes sure to keep his book in line with his left eye-light. He softly smiles at them and nods to go warm up their tea and get some honey. “They say it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. That could be a load of shit. But we just need to tell you all…” They slowly sit up as Leo comes back with their tea. Their minds clouded with their respective memories as they grab their mugs. Leo can only sadly smile at them before sitting down back near the fire.

“some mistakes get made.” Sage sighs as she sips her tea. Green softly bumps her side as he sets his mug down on the small coffee table off to the side.

“That’s alright, that’s okay.” She nods softly and Leo looks towards the flames. They watch as he plays with them, making flame versions of them. They smile as he makes them dance before creating a small flame Grillby. Neither of them can figure out who it is as Leo creates a small him. They dance around each other before holding each other close.

“You can think that you’re in love.” He tears up as his magic wavers causing the flame Grillby to burn out and the smaller Leo looks down in sadness before falling to his knees. “When you’re really just engaged.” He stops as he brings his hand up to his engagement choker. They look between each other. “Some mistakes get made. That’s alright, that’s okay.” Leo looks out into the fire as his tears fall silently to the ground. “In the end, it’s better for me. That’s the moral of the story.” Sage and Green get up and move next to Leo. They sit on his side and grab his hands. Leo looks at them before hugging them close to him. Green and Sage tear up as Leo holds them close.

“Some mistakes get made. That’s alright, that’s okay. You can think that you’re in love. When you’re really just in pain.” Sage pours all her effort into singing and it isn't the greatest but it makes Leo and Green smile at her effort. She only moves her hand to Leo's chest and grabs the soft fabric of the space-themed robe. Leo softly chuckles and moves them closer to him.

“Some mistakes get made. That’s alright, that’s okay.” He nods to them as he sings and leans his skull back against the wall. They stay there for a moment before he gets up and lays on the floor as the fire lion. He softly croons to them and they get up and lay in between his front paws and on his chest. Leo curls around them protectively. 

“In the end, it’s better for us. That’s the moral of the story, maybe.” Sage scoots onto Green's chest and closes her sockets to sleep. Leo purrs softly as Green follows her to sleep. Leo lets his flames die down in heat so that they wouldn't burn them before falling asleep himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone sits there in stunned silence as tears flow down their faces. Grillby covers his eyes as he cries. Error holds Ink’s soul close and sends a pulse of love through it, and he gets a soft pulse of love in return and smiles at it. Dream softly chokes on the negativity in the room and Nightmare tries to soothe and help Dream through it. No one wants to look towards the screen to see what happens next, but they don’t need to since the screen is black. Leo comes flying through the screen with Green and Sage in his arms. He lands on his side and lays there passed out with the other two in his arms as well. No one says a thing as Grillby comes to them and carries the three of them to a softer spot in the room. They only hope that Ink is safe and from the soft pulses of his soul, he seems to be calm at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't know if you could pick up at the hints, but all three of them acted much differently at the beginning than they do now. Mainly Leo


	10. The love of a favorite toy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teddy Bear - Melanie Martinez  
> All eyes on me - Or3o  
> Love like you - Caleb Hyles (mixed with) Adriana Figueroa  
> Do you even? - Jorge Aguilar II and Elizabeth Ann

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry that this took so long to get out! It turns out that writing with four songs is hard to keep quick and short. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!

Error watches Ink’s soul closely as he wonders where Ink could be. None of them noticed that all the props, backgrounds, and extras were made of ink. Cross studies the three laying with Grillby before turning his attention to Error and his brother’s soul. He studies it and lets his shoulders fall slightly with relief. It isn’t cracking, and Ink isn’t dying. Not on their watch. Dream and Blue try to help Grillby with the others but Grillby shakes his head. Nightmare and Killer are discussing what to do and what to try with Dust. Leo, involuntarily, holds onto Green and Sage a little tighter before relaxing. The screen crackles to life and everyone’s attention is captured quickly. 

“Is anyone there?” Blue wonders closer to the screen.

They’re all a little freaked out at the white room with red strings dangling loosely from the ceiling. Error looks down at Ink’s soul when he feels a soft response pulse. He looks back up at the screen to see quite a bit of ink fall from above the window. It puddles in front of the window and everyone stops as the rest of it joins the puddle. Dream joins Blue at the window and places his hand against the putty-like glass. He recoils at the feeling before placing his hand back onto it. 

“Ink? Is that you?” Dream squints a little before Error feels another pulse. They all wait with bated breath before collectively sighing as the ink moves around. It isn’t quick, but Ink slowly starts to take his form. “Come on, Ink. You’re doing good! Take your time.” 

Error moves closer and Ink has half of his form, but it isn’t solid just yet. He places one hand on the glass. “Kiki.” The Ink-shaped blob turns to what they think is to face Error. He reaches out to him. Cross gently takes Ink’s soul from Error as Error brings both hands to the glass. Ink slowly makes his way over to the window, as he does his body continues to take its shape. Soon enough, Ink smiles at them as he reaches the window.

“Miss me?” His smile shakes before his eye lights zero in on his soul. He looks up at Cross. “Thank you. Don’t let anything happen to it okay?” Cross nods and holds it closer. Ink turns his attention to his friends and smiles at them before looking right at Error. He places his hand right where Error placed his on the other side of the glass. With his other hand, he gently pushes against another spot on the glass. 

“Kiki? What are you doing?” Ink doesn’t respond, but Error gets his answer when the tips of Ink’s phalanges come through the glass. Error watches as the rest of Ink’s hand comes through before he intertwines their phalanges together. Ink smiles softly before Error tries to pull him through.

“Ruru. I don’t think that’s gonna work.”

“You don’t know that! We have to try!” 

Killer, Nightmare, Dust, Blue, and Dream all join in to help as Ink’s radius and ulna come through. They keep pulling until Ink’s upper torso comes through. Ink tears up at the thought of being close to freedom. As Error leans forward to get a better hold on Ink, Ink quickly kisses him before using his feet to push himself as well. Error smiles as half of Ink’s body comes through the glass. 

“Ruru!” Suddenly, Ink’s eye sockets widen and his eye lights become pinpricks as a small tug makes them lose ground. He looks around as he’s pulled a little more. “E-Error!” He shakes off their arms to brace himself against the glass. He tries to push against it, only for his arms to be sucked onto the other side. He makes a sound of distress as he tries to take his arms back out. Blue panics and grabs onto Ink’s right upper arm while Dream grabs onto Ink’s left upper arm. “Guys?!” He freezes as the pulling stops for a moment before pulling him in more. Error scrambles to grab his scarf before Ink’s pulled through. 

“Kiki!/Ink!” They all call out to him as he’s pulled through by red strings. 

Error had only pulled Ink’s scarf through the glass. They all notice the ‘tattoos’ on Ink’s vertebrae that make up his neck. Ink reaches out to them as he’s pulled up to a pissed off Kitsune. They pull the strings tight as they pull Ink closer to them.

“IS THIS THE THANKS I GET FOR BEING GENTLE WITH MY GAMES?!” Ink shrinks in on himself a little. Error and the others pound on the glass. It doesn’t budge this time. 

“Let him go!” Ink turns his skull to Error and shakes his skull before turning back to Kitsune. 

“Don’t. Involve them.”

Kitsune snorts. “‘Don’t involve them,’ how sad this sketch must feel. Tell me. Do you even remember our time watching the tree?” Ink looks Kitsune right in the eyes before Kitsune softly scoffs. “Well? Don’t you? #358?” Ink shakes a little at the name and everyone looks at them in confusion.

“Kiki? What do they mean #358?” Kitsune looks over at them in faux shock.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What? He didn’t tell you?” They look back at Ink who has tears in his eye sockets. “This wasn’t Ink’s first design.” The others are even more confused as Kitsune leans closer to Ink. “Isn’t that right, attempt #358?” Ink only turns away. Kitsune scoffs as the music starts in the background. They drop Ink to the ground as paper forms in their hands. They show him the roughest sketch of a skeleton with a ‘#1’ written on the corner. “ Sketched you up, I put you together.” The paper flies from their hand towards the window. The others watch as it passes by, they see the sketch and wonder if this was a different Au that was given up on. The paper floats back to Kitsune’s hand and brings a pen dipped in ink to the paper. “With graphite and ink.” They continue to doodle on it and Ink doesn’t watch as the numbers change. 

2, 6, 10, 17, 19.

“I gave you love, I put a soul inside you.” The faintest penciled soul is drawn on the paper before appearing in the white space. “Oh, what else could I do?”

The rough sketch of a skeleton sits there sobbing before ripping their soul apart. The others gasp in shock as the skeleton falls into a black hole. Ink disappears as well only to return in a way they don’t recognize. He seems hesitant to talk. He had the tan shirt he had from his old outfit along with a lighter color scarf. He had his sash of paints, although there were only six colors on it with a pencil and a small paintbrush. He had his arm sleeves on with his old gloves as well. The bottom half of his outfit was the same as his older outfit, but without the jacket on his waist. He has the same signature ink stain on his right lower jaw. But he has teal and bright green marks on his skull as well. There are hearts on his temples and souls -both human and monster alike- on his cheekbones. Two dots, one teal and one green, over each eye socket with a soft swirl meeting them in the middle. Teal seems to outline his eye sockets like eyeliner with a thick green line going down the sides of his skull from the bottom of each eye socket. One eye light is a white dot while the other seems to be an orange triangle. He holds his mask as he looks around. He doesn’t notice the others as he cautiously makes his way over to Kitsune. He takes a small(ish) swig of courage before continuing.

“When you started talking in your sleep. You said things you'd do to me.” He rubs the cheek of the bright green bunny mask. With marks similar to the ones on his face, but with a few of them reminding the others of themselves. He looks up at Kitsune. “I didn't care, I wasn't scared.” He takes a moment as he bites his lower jaw. “Then I was finding knives under the sheets. Crumbled photographs of us.” He pulls out a crumpled photo of them with the fox and Bun Bun. He holds it out to them before faltering. He drops the picture and watches as it turns to ink. “I had despaired. Should I be scared?” He puts on the mask before turning away from Kitsune.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Yeah, you probably should’ve been scared, Ink. That doesn’t sound normal.” Dust quietly comments as he studies this version of Ink.

“Wait. So, Ink knows them? Like he lived with them?” Killer looks to Nightmare who thinks about it for a moment.

“It seems like it.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Teddy bear, you were my teddy bear.” Kitsune tilts Ink’s skull up towards them and from behind the mask, they can all see the edges of a grimace on Ink’s face. “You were comforting and quiet. When did you become so violent?” They roll their eyes and act hurt. Ink takes a sip of the red paint before growling softly.

“Oh, teddy bear, you were my teddy bear!” He fingers the royal blue before deciding not to. “Everything was so sweet until your games killed me.” 

He rolls his eye lights as he faces away from them. Tears of anger and frustration collect in the corners of the mask as Ink looks down. He stands there for a moment before taking the dark paint that looks almost like black. It’s his early attempt at a perfect mix of emotions, of course, it isn’t perfect since he has fewer colors than he did before. Cross remembers it, he softly smiles at the few memories of when they met, and when they were growing closer. He lifts his mask a little to drink some of it. He looks back at Kitsune in anger.

“You threw me out!” He covers the face of the mask with a hand as he pinches the nose ridge. “I didn't outgrow you! I just didn't know you.” The memories of them sitting in front of the multiverse tree watching it grow flash between each other. The times of teaching Ink his powers. Before the betrayal, and how it hurts now afterward. “But now you're back! And it's so terrifying... How you paralyze me.” He glances at the red strings above him before looking at a familiar tree not too far from them. “Now you're showing up inside my home. Breathing deep into the ‘phone.’” Kitsune chuckles as Ink marches to be in between the tree and Kitsune. He looks around for his broomie, only for the others to notice in shock that it was smaller than the one he uses now. He grips it tightly before shaking a little. “I'm so unprepared.” He softly gulps as the memories of facing what felt like an army of kitsunes come back to him. “I'm fucking scared.” Kitsune chuckles at Ink before coming closer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Did he have to fight them by himself?” Dream looks around the screen to try and see if there was anyone else.

“Where were we? Shouldn’t we’ve been there to help? Why weren’t we there?! How could we not help with this fight.”

“Blue, you need to calm down. Maybe this was before you met him?” Dust tries to reason. Nightmare thinks for a moment.  _ That can’t be right. Ink probably knew them at this point. Maybe it wasn’t the same version of us? This is too confusing. _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Teddy bear, you were my teddy bear. You were comforting and quiet.” Kitsune smiles as they lift his mask to show the face of Ink that they know, but with one difference. Two lines would merge into one on each side of his face. From the bottom of his right socket were an orange line and a red line that connected at the bottom of his jaw. From the left, there's a green line and a yellow line that did the same as red and orange. As they move the mask to the side of his skull, it slowly changes to a yellow fox, and Ink gasps in horror. “Why did you become so violent?” Kitsune innocently tilts their head and Ink turns to them in anger.

“Teddy bear, you were my teddy bear! Everything was so sweet until you killed me.” Ink slaps them with a look of hurt and anger. He sniffles as his number appears above him. #354. Not including the self changes he did to his outfit and such, this is the second to final attempt. As he looks at the number, he holds his sash tightly. “I'm fucking scared.”

Kitsune smirks as they throw Ink's broomie in a different direction before walking closer to him. As they come closer, Ink sees Bun Bun overlaps Kitsune. The image flickers as they stand right in front of him. "Teddy bear, you were my teddy bear." They softly tilt his skull up and Ink stares into their eyes as they bring their hands to hold Ink's skull. There's a soft smile in their tone as Bun Bun holds him close. "You were comforting and quiet." Ink gasps as the gentle touch changes to a painful grip. He grabs onto their wrists in shock as the illusion falls and he's faced with Kitsune. 

"When did you become so violent?" They throw him to the ground. Ink's mask falls off and lands to the side as Ink picks himself up. Tears pool in his sockets as he sits up. The smaller yellow vial has broken along with his orange and royal blue. Royal blue paint drips from his mouth as a deep blue blush of frustration and hurt dusts his cheekbones. He scoops up the broken glass covered in yellow paint before looking up at Kitsune.

"Teddy bear, you were my teddy bear. Everything is so sweet until you try to kill me." He sniffles as he tries to pull the colors away from each other. He holds the glass close to his chest as he cries. Kitsune only rolls their eyes before snapping. Ink is back and he's gasping as he grabs onto the ground. He looks up at them and growls as he tries to tackle them. Red strings grab him and hold him tightly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey! Let him go!"

Blue pounds on the glass and Kitsune doesn't spare him a glance. Cross hands Sage Ink's soul and she starts to heal it. She softly hums a tune that she prays helps calm down Ink. Not that he could hear it, but she is only doing what she can. Error joins Blue to pound on the glass. Cross only stares at them before gripping the star patch, the one that Ink made for him, on his inner sleeve. 

"Blue. Error. That isn't doing anything. Please stop, you're going to hurt yourselves." Dream grabs and holds their fists and they stand down. "Plus, we can't hear what they're saying." They turn back to see Ink grabbing the strings and using them to flip Kitsune onto the floor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While the others missed what Ink and Kitsune had said, they noticed a shift in Ink. While his soul was panicked and shaking in Sage’s hands, his body was relaxed. His eye lights had swapped and became more unstable. His mask was flickering between the green bunny it is and a yellow fox. He stands close to Kitsune’s body before walking into the multiverse tree’s leaves. He lands on a floating island and taps his foot softly creating a beat.

“A long, long time ago… I had my own little world.” He walks towards an Au and cups his hands under it as he stares at it. Everyone can’t see which one it is, and they try to. Ink never talks about his past and they’re curious. “Was a beautiful, lovable rough draft.” His tone changes to a sour one. And his eye lights become darker for a moment as he looks away. His image flickers between the other skeleton, the one that tore their soul, and himself. He sighs softly as he turns his attention back to the portal as Kitsune who is leading a pack of foxes and kitsunes walks out. The others bang against the glass to get Ink’s attention. They yell for him to get out of there or to run. 

He doesn’t listen.

“But you took the colors, try after try.” He brings a hand to his newer sash, filled with many shades of different colors. He drops his hand and looks back up to them as he takes it off and throws it off the side of the island. “Left me to fade away.” His voice goes soft and pain fills his voice as he stares directly at a fox. Said fox looks both disturbed and nervous. Ink turns his attention to Kitsune and slowly pulls out a paintbrush barely anyone has seen from behind his back. One that only Error has seen what it’s fully capable of.

It’s his war broomie. 

“But honey, now the turn is mine.~” He paints a portal under him and falls in. The pack of kitsunes and foxes all get into fighting stances. Kitsune only scoffs before rolling their eyes. “3, 2, 1.” Ink leaps out of another portal and splashes half of the group with pink paint before turning it into chains. He snaps and the chains pull them up and keep them there. “A creator made from paint and ink, and sent from above.” He does the same thing to the other kitsunes and foxes. He walks up to Kitsune and puts a phalange under Kitsune’s chin and tilts it up towards him. He smirks at them before turning away and walking away from both his friends and others. 

“Looks like Kitsune has got a little date, let's have some fun.” He makes his way towards another portal outside. "We've got lots to do little creator." His smirk grows when Kitsune’s eye twitches as he makes a come motion towards them with his finger before starting to disappear into the portal. “Come meet me at the tree in five!” The others follow him back outside the tree. Once out, they look around for Ink only to see him standing away from the tree with three small paintbrushes in his left hand. He tightens his grip on them. 

“‘To be the perfect creator, some sin must be done.’” The quote of Kitsune surprises the creators as Ink slides his mask to cover one side of his face. Kitsune smirks at the lone artist. Ink looks towards the tree as a memory of Error smiling at him in joy flashes in his mind. He looks back at the creators in anger. “You told him what to do and what to say, he couldn't escape!” 

Ink looks down at his hands as he remembers the mic that he took away from them and broke. He remembers Error explaining the ‘voices’ he would hear and they were the ones who told him what to do. He remembers feeling betrayed when he saw the creators talking and threatening someone through a mic. He remembers testing it once before realizing what it was. How he felt something on his own for the first time in a long time before breaking down. How he needed to act but was scared to do anything until that day. How happy Error was when he told Ink that the voices had left. The confusion on Error’s face as he explained that one had said goodbye to him and the soft remnants of joy lingering knowing that he was the last one to say bye. He grits his teeth as he becomes ink and forms between the tree and the group of creators. He stares at them in anger. 

“You got to choose the ending of their fates. You put them astray!” The creators turn to face him in surprise and Ink sticks out an arm to protect the tree.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Kiki, please be careful.” Error holds Ink’s soul a little closer and he watches as Ink’s movements stutter for a moment as he brings a hand to his chest briefly. He sends a small pulse of care and watches Ink’s reaction. The soul gives a small pulse of care back. 

“Come on bro.” Cross has his hands pressed against the glass and the others watch in worry. They hope that he’ll be safe. Grillby can only hold Leo tightly as Leo holds Green and Sage close to his chest. Leo’s worried for his new cub and he’s scared that if he lets go of his other cubs, he’ll lose them too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ink’s expression changes to a snarl as his eye lights become bright red targets. He smirks as he sends an attack towards the creators. “But not anymore! I'm in control!” He smiles as he stomps his foot and the paint becomes another room. “I have the stage! You can't turn the page!” He brings a hand up to his temple as he winces for a moment as his mask changes to a fox. Most of the markings stayed the same as it changed, and he notices the glances to the side of the group. He knows somewhere that over where they are looking at is where his friends are, but it isn’t something he is conscious of. He snaps loud and clear at the group to get their attention to him. “Now all eyes on me!” He smirks before frowning. His eye lights become a deep red-orange as he grabs where his soul would be. He softly smiles in sadness and pain as his number flashes again.

“So many failed attempts, so many ‘mistakes.’” He looks down at his hand before blinking and looking back at them. His mouth falls into a thin line before smiling as his eye lights struggle to keep up with his emotions. Even with that problem, a small glint of insanity shows itself. “But I'll go all the way till they’re in the perfect shape!” He smiles widely as he rolls back on his heels and leans forward. 

“First is the worst.” The others gasp at a flash of Ink from before with the marks on his skull standing where Ink was for a second. “Hope the third's the charm!” He changes again back to who he is now. He looks at his darker bones of his ulna and radius. He stares at the barely noticeable ink ‘tattoos’ as he raises his arm. “So close! Oh! I cannot wait!” He drops his arm as he stares at the creators. He glares at them again and his face darkens by a bit. “The kitsunes won't taint me now, ‘cause you're the sacrifice I’ll slay.” He opens a portal under the fox closest to him and they fall through it and he closes it once only their mask is left outside. He walks over and steps on the mask until it shatters and then looks up. The other creators take a step back and look nervous.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Why are they acting like that? Why are they nervous now?” Nightmare studies their behavior. Killer looks at the mask and watches it disappear. He looks around and notices Dust staring at the same thing. 

“Where did Ink send that creator?” Dream turns to Blue to shrug. He doesn’t have an idea. 

“I wonder…” Killer turns back to Nightmare to see him thinking. Error turns to him before turning away. Cross studies Ink’s soul, which seems to be stressed, before watching Ink tear up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ink’s frame seems to scrunch a little as he stands tall. “You said I wasn't good enough to stay! So you threw me away!” He stares directly at the fox from before and they don’t make eye contact. Kitsune rolls their eyes and Ink’s eye lights become more unstable, unable to stay set on one shape but always staying red. He flings his arm out towards where the tree is behind the wall. “You took away their futures and my friends, but now that will change!” He smiles and again that glint shines in his eye lights. He glares as he notices the nervous looks and lack of eye contact with him. 

“Focus on me! I'll be the last thing you see!” He moves his mask to cover his face as he starts to march his way closer. The group of creators starts to back up, pushing Kitsune -who is in the back- as well. “I'll make you sway! No, can't run away!” He quickly moves the mask to the other side of his skull to reveal four lines going down his face to his chin. He touches them and pulls four yellow-green strings, like Error’s but in a different color, before shooting them towards the creators. He catches most of them and repeats until all of them are caught and moves his mask back to cover his face. “Now all eyes on me!”

“Why are you doing this?! You are one of us! We let you join us, and you treat us like trash! You listen to us!” 

Ink pauses for a moment, he loosens the strings for a moment as he looks down. He’s silent for a moment. “You don't know what it's like to be thrown away, in a pile of drafts.” He brings his hands up to cover his eye sockets and curls his phalanges which causes the strings to tighten on the creators. “And You…” He takes one hand away to look at the same fox from before. He points at them. “Yes, you…” His frames shake as he narrows his sockets at them. His eye lights no longer have any special shape to them as they glow a bright red. He subconsciously tightens the strings even more. “Made me insane!” His mask starts to flicker between a fox and a Kitsune as he grabs his skull.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ink! You need to calm down!” Cross pounds on the glass as Error tries to send pulses of calm to Ink’s soul but it seems that Ink is blocking them out. 

“Ink! Calm down! You don’t need to do this!” Blue joins Cross. Leo looks away with the feeling of helplessness growing heavy in his soul. Grillby only holds his family close and kisses Leo on his skull to reassure his love.

“This is both concerning and interesting.” Nightmare mumbles as he watches Ink. Killer nods as he studies Ink. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“But not anymore! I'm in control!” He looks at the strings on his phalange tips and smiles widely as his eye lights blink out. “I’m in control.” A flicker of normal Ink shows through and he cries before being consumed by this Ink. With empty eye sockets, he stares at the creators as his smile changes. “I have the stage! You can't turn the page!” His smile grows wider and he clenches his fists, causing the strings to tighten even more as he opens another portal to somewhere far away. “So d-do as you're told!” He grabs onto one string and throws one fox out of the room. He huffs with effort before looking back at the rest of them. He watches them turn to each other or focus on struggling against his strings.

“Focus on me! I'll be all that you see!” He tightens the strings even more, and this time he draws blood from a few of them. His teeth seem to disappear and are replaced with inky darkness that left sharp edges where there used to be a soft smile. His mask stops flickering and fully becomes a kitsune version of his original. “I'll make them sway! No, can't run away!” He tightens the strings even more which draws ink from his own hands. Some of the creators softly cry out in pain from the strings. “Now all eyes on me!” He grips all the strings before wrapping them around his arms. “Now all eyes on, All eyes on me!” 

He grunts in the effort as he throws the rest of the creators out of the tree before falling to his knees. He doesn’t realize how close he is to the window as he takes deep breaths. He takes off his mask and glances at it before dropping it as if it burned him. He backs away from it until his back hits the glass. He can’t hear anything over his strangled huffing. He grabs his shirt and panics when he feels the vibrations of a tap from the glass. The smile that seems carved in his skull bends to a frown. His empty sockets gather tears as he looks at his hand. He’s startled as the vibrations of the glass become more pronounced and violent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I don’t think he can hear us! Ink! Please, you have to calm down!” Blue pounds on the glass.

“Blue! Don’t do that! I think it’s freaking him out!” Dream grabs Blue’s fist and pulls him away from the glass. Error hands Sage Ink’s soul again to heal the stress cracks.

“Bro, please. It’s okay, we’re right here. You have to calm down.” Cross presses a hand against the glass where Ink’s back touches it. Error studies the situation for a moment before making his way over to the glass. Cross steps away from the glass to give room for Error, and he takes Ink’s soul from Sage once she’s done.

“Kiki. It’s okay. I’m here.” 

He softly knocks on the glass in a rhythm that Ink knows well. They all watch with bated breath as Ink calms down slowly. Error continues the rhythm as Ink slowly turns around. Error smiles softly at the tears collecting at his chin and the soft movements of his mouth that make it seem like he’s trying to say Error’s name. Error moves his hand to where Ink can touch and Ink hesitantly rests his hand over Error’s as his mouth slowly becomes normal again. Ink turns his skull away from Error and Error sighs softly. Hard way it is then. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“If I could begin to be… Half of what you think of me.” Ink slowly tilts his skull back up at the sound of Error’s singing. He knows this song. It’s their song. “I would do about anything. I could even learn how to love.” 

Ink turns his skull back towards Error and Error smiles again at Ink. His friends surround Error and Leo’s pack sits right next to them. Sage places one of her hands against the glass as well. She lets her ecto body fall from her hands, ulna, and radius. No one comments on the deep chips and cracks on her bones where the scars are. She nods to Ink and he sniffles before laying his other hand over hers. 

“When I see the way you act. Wondering when I'm coming back…” He turns attention back to Error as his eye lights slowly make themselves known again. “I could do about anything. I could even learn how to love… like you.” His eye lights change to become a blue teardrop and a pink heart. Error softly chuckles as Ink weakly smiles at him again. 

“Love like you.” His smile changes to a soft frown as he looks away. “I always thought I might be bad. Now I'm sure that it's true.” Ink blinks in surprise as Error looks back at Ink with a sheepish smile. “'Cause I think you're so good, and I'm nothing like you.” Ink looks away and Error softly scoffs with a loving eye light roll. Yellow softly dusts his cheekbones. “Look at you go, I just adore you-”

“I wish that I knew!” Ink cuts Error off as tears prick the corners of his sockets again. The four colored lines on Ink’s face disappear as he opens his sockets again to stare at Error. “What makes you think I'm so special…” Error smiles softly again.

“If I could begin to do something that does right by you.” Ink smiles at the memories of watching Error sew a doll of both of them, handing him the small error. “I would do about anything. I would even learn how to love.” He doesn’t try to hide his soft chuckles from Error. “When I see the way you look, shaken by how long it took.” Error and Ink smile at the memory of meeting for the first time after Ink getting a soul. How Ink couldn’t even get a proper word out for the longest time since all the feelings he hadn’t felt had piled up and spilled over all at once. “I could do about anything, I could even learn how to love like you.”

“Love like you” Ink echos out as he rests his skull against the window. Everyone slowly backs off, they stay in Ink’s sight but they want to give them their moment, and Error rests his skull against the window as well. Ink pulls away as he looks over Error’s back to his friends and brother. “Now, they’ll be the Star Sanses.” He looks back at Error with a sad smile and Error’s expression falls. “They’ll always save the day.” He tilts his skull to the side as his vision blurs with tears again. “And if you think they can’t, they’ll always find a way!” Error and his friends all shake their skulls as Ink slowly stands up. “That’s why the people of your worlds will believe in…”

“(Ink), Dream, and Cross, and Blueberry.” Error and Ink sing to each other at the same time. Error blinks at Ink’s lack of his name and Ink looks away.

“Even though I can't compare, and I'm sorry if I stare.” Ink squeezes his sockets shut as he looks away. He slowly opens them as he stares at the floor. “I just want to do everything, so I could learn how to love.” He sucks in a breath as he sadly smiles at Error. “People say this love is wrong, but all I want is to belong.” They both close their sockets and look away at the memories from the beginning of their relationship. How so many hated it since they were made to be enemies, not lovers. How Ink was soulless, making it harder for Ink to care when he had just gotten his soul. How so many people were against at first.

“I can say without any doubt. Everyone should learn how to love like you.” Error smiles at Ink as thoughts of seeing Ink smile at a newly made Au would pop into existence. How much Ink would cry when an Au would be reset or erased. Error knows that some Au’s reset and he knows the rules that come from them, but he doesn’t know all of the resets. 

“If I stayed to be everything you thought of me… Could’ve done about anything, but I think I’d learn how to love like you.” Ink smiles sadly at Error as he feels the familiar red strings wrap around his vertebrae. 

“Love like you.” They both say at the same time before Ink is suddenly jerked and flung backward with Kitsune’s strings.

“INK!” Error bangs against the glass as they watch Kitsune pull in close to their mask.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ink opens his eye sockets and growls before spitting a bit of ink at their mask. “Well. That’s unpleasant.” Ink struggles for a moment before Kitsune slams him on the ground and pulling him back up. “Are you done now?”

Ink doesn’t respond and Kitsune throws him halfway to the window. A few red strings weave together to create a thick chain that wraps around Ink and holds him down in place. Kitsune chuckles at Ink as he grunts to escape the chains. The other creators make their way back to Kitsune. Kitsune snaps and their outfit changes to one of a ringleader. They smile at the other creators, who are all bringing other papers. Ink looks at them in frustration as they all stand by Kitsune. Kitsune waves to the “audience” of Ink and his friends behind him. 

“Welcome boys and girls to our show!” They look from side to side at the other creators coming closer. “Here at your local brand new open multiverse!” Ink’s eye sockets widen in horror and he struggles more against the chains. Kitsune looks down at Ink. “We are so thrilled to have you here tonight! Come watch our best creations!” Kitsune makes a beckoning motion to Ink, who can’t even move, before stepping to the side as if they opened a door. “Don't be shy, they don't bite~” A few of the other creators snicker at the line before schooling themselves into quietness. “We are just moments away… From letting your worst nightmares come out to play~” Ink’s sockets widen as it goes dark. He didn’t know that it could be dark out here. In the darkness, he notices three forms standing in front of him. Their eye sockets snap open and three sets of eye lights focus on him before disappearing back into the darkness.

“Run if you can.” Ink turns to the side as he looks for the source of the voice. He turns as a hand touches his shoulder. His eye lights shrink as he looks at dreamswap Ink who has fresh dark ink coming from the corner of his mouth. “They are lurking everywhere beside you there.” He falls backward as his eye lights roll back into his skull. Ink yelps as he feels dust cover his outfit. 

“Did you see them? These demons in disguises.” A spotlight shines down on three familiar skeletons. Ink squints at the Dream, Blue, and Ink. As he blinks, he recognizes them as the fallen stars. They aren’t from the same multiverse, but he knows that the creators were trying to force them into the one that Ink had locked. 

“Oh, my...” Ink flinches as a bloody and dusty gloved hand grips his shoulder. He turns his head to come face with YanBerry. Yan looks down at Ink with a crazed smile. His red eye lights contract as he brings a knife under Ink’s jaw. “Is it too late to escape this game? That they made especially for you?” He lets go of Ink’s shoulder and disappears into the darkness. Ink glances around in worry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What was that?! Who were they?!” 

“That’s not me! I’m right here! A-and my eye lights aren’t red!” 

“Blue, calm down. We know that’s not you, you’re right here in Dust’s arms-” Dream softly speaks to Blue, the lack of positive emotions are slowly getting to him.

“Why would they threaten Ink?! T-that’s not me! I-I wouldn’t do that!” Blue continues to freak out until Dust turns him around to not look out the window. Dust holds him close to his chest.

“Just don’t look.”

“What happened to that other one that looked like Ink?! Did he just die?!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Do you really even have a clue?” Another Ink steps into the small light surrounding Ink. He immediately notices that this is fallen Ink, with a blank dead look on his face as he steps closer. His eye lights are nothing more than white dots. As he gets closer, he grabs a purple glowing vial from his sash and looks at it before looking back at Ink with empty eye sockets oozing black ink as his wicked smile reveals fangs and darkness that none know. “That this is your fate?” He moves his face right into Ink’s and studies it for a moment before disappearing back into the darkness. Another spotlight catches Ink’s attention and he turns his head to see Dream and nightmare. Nightmare is standing there and listening to Dream talk to once. 

“‘Do you even have a clue?’” Dream brings a hand out from behind him. Nightmare doesn’t notice the change in Dream’s tone as he repeats Nightmare’s words. “Do I even have one?” Nightmare finally notices the black in Dream’s hands and reaches out to him as Dream takes a bite. The light goes out for a second and Ink calls out to his friends, and when the light turns back on, Shattered is holding his brother in the air by the neck. Nightmare, without his corruption covering him, tries to claw at the goo. “All the evil things we do…” Shattered rolls his eye as he throws Nightmare to the stump of a tree. He turns his back on Nightmare as he starts to walk away. “Surprising that don't you run.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“T-that’s not p-possible! I-I-I can’t eat a negative apple! T-that would kill me!”

“It’s that dream again.” Nightmare whispers to Killer and Killer looks back at him. 

“You mean the one that led us to hunt down Green?” Nightmare nods and Killer looks to Green only to notice Green staring at them already. 

“Dream! Are you okay?!” Dream looks at his fingertips and takes a shaky breath in as he hides his hand. He uses his other hand to cover his mouth as he nods. Error looks at the other fallen stars and prays that it isn’t true. Who knows what would happen to the balances. He focuses on comforting Ink’s soul.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A headless Blue comes from the darkness in front of Ink and his body language makes it seem as if he is studying Ink. And Ink’s too scared to scream. He makes his way behind Ink and forces Ink’s eye sockets open as he turns Ink’s skull towards another spotlight. “Knowing you will die here.” The haunting voice of Blue comes from nowhere and everywhere as Blue stands in the snow, his arms open to a hug. Only for the sound of a knife cutting through the air to be heard as his skull falls forward with a look of shock. His body falls to its’ knees before dusting. He lets go of Ink to disappear back into the darkness.

“Knowing there is no way out…” Ink’s attention is taken to dreamswap Blue talking to his version of Error. Ink tries to intervene as Blue brings a phalange under Error’s chin and tilting his skull upward. “Fate is evidently clear.” He suddenly grips Error tightly, causing Error to glitch out and start to reboot, but Blue continues to touch him until Error is screaming in pain as he glitches to a point that seems extremely painful. Dreamswap Blue turns his skull towards Ink and stares for a moment before raising a finger to his mouth. “Seems you're just oblivious.” The light shuts off.

A version of Dream comes into his spotlight. To everyone’s surprise, his eyes and wings are different than all the other dreams before. He seems like he’s leaning against something. “Do you even have a clue?” He looks up to Ink and squints at him as if he’s trying to see who Ink is. “Do you even have one?” His expression changes into something more sinister as he walks closer to Ink. He smiles as Ink looks behind him and sees so many bodies of the villagers. This Dream sees Ink’s line of sight before the ‘tsk’ before shakingly reaching out to someone else. Ink turns to see a different version of Nightmare standing there with a sword sticking out of his chest. He looks up towards the other Dream before falling over and dusting. “All the evil things we do…” A reset button appears in front of this other Dream and he presses it with a smirk. “Surprising that don't you run.” 

Once he presses it, a new Dream takes his place standing there. He’s scared. He was just in the other room trying to stay positive enough to stay moving. He looks around in panic before focusing on Ink. Ink only looks for a moment before realizing that he’s his Dream. That the one standing there is his friend. Dream starts to run towards Ink, unable to speak. Both of them unaware of Nightmare pounding on the glass trying to get Dream’s attention. Nightmare and Blue are pounding on the glass as hard as they can as Cross shouts as loud as he can for Dream to turn around. As soon as Dream gets close enough for Ink to see the tears in his friend’s sockets and the grey coloring on his hand, Ink sees what’s behind him and tries to cry out to him. Only for Dream to be speared through the back by a different version of Nightmare’s tentacle. Dream’s eye sockets widen in shock and pain before he looks down. Everyone in the room screams out and tries to break the glass. Grillby holds Leo close and Leo holds onto Grillby. Error watches in worry as he tries to calm Ink’s soul before it can shake too far from his hands.

“Knowing you will die here.” Dream is raised into the air as the different Nightmare walks closer, keeping his eye on Dream. “Knowing there is no way out.” He throws Dream through the window, and into the arms of Blue.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Dream!” Blue lays his friend down on the ground and Nightmare makes his way over.

“Brother!” Dream coughs up some bright yellow blood as he turns his skull towards his brother. Cross moves to hold Dreams hand. None of them notice his other hand.

“Out of my way! Get out of my way!” Sage tries to shove her way to Dream. “Stop crowding! I can heal him! So GODDAMNIT GET OUT OF MY WAY!” Blue, Killer, Dust, and Green all get out of her way. She bends down and leans over him. “Dream? Dream. Can you hear me?” Dream barely grunts in response. Everything hurts to move, and it feels like he can’t move at all. Sage nods curtly before bringing a finger in front of Dream. “Follow my finger.” Dream follows it as she moves it side to side. “Good, I’m going to move you on your side. Do Not Move. This is going to hurt.” She turns to Nightmare and Cross, “I’m going to need one of you to help me.”

“I will.” She nods and Nightmare backs off. She moves to grab ahold of Dream’s legs and Cross moves to hold Dream’s upper back.

“Okay, On three. No more no less. Make sure that we stay at the same pace or we will make it worse. Do you understand?” Cross nods. “Good. One. Two. Three!” They turn Dream on his side and Dream lets out a loud grunt of pain. Sage motions for Cross and Nightmare to keep him on his side before she lifts the back of Dream’s top. Her facial expression doesn’t reveal anything.

“What’s wrong?” She only stands up and looks around.

“Does anyone have something straight, smooth, and flat?” 

“No.”

“I have a knife-”

“That won’t work.”

“No.”

“No. Other than my knives or daggers, no.”

“I don’t, but what’s wrong?”

“I just really need something small, flat, smooth, and straight!” 

“Wait! What about my charm on my crown?” She turns to Nightmare and looks at it.

“Yes, that will work. Mama? Can you help?” Leo nods and takes the crown from Nightmare’s hand. He heats the metal where the charm meets the base of the crown before snapping it off. He hands it to Sage before handing the rest of the crown back to Nightmare.

“B-brother. Y-your crown.”

“If she can use it to help you, I’d rather it be broken.”

Sage holds it in her hand before lifting her top skirt. She gathers up the bottom part of her soft silky underskirt. She grabs a point of it and rips it. She keeps ripping it despite everyone’s cries for her to stop her. Once she has a long strip of fabric she sits back down next to Dream’s back. 

“Dream. I’m not going to lie, this is going to hurt really badly. I can’t start to heal it until I put it back into place. Okay?”

“Put what back into place?”

“I’m going to count to three, and then it will hurt like hell for a few moments. Then I can start to heal you. Okay?”

“O-okay.”

“Alright then.” She grabs onto Dream’s spine on the two different sides of the injury. “Are you ready?” Dream nods. “Okay, What’s your favorite color?”

“Wha- PURPLE!” Dream cries out with a strained voice as he grips Nightmare’s hand tightly. At the same time as Sage forces the spine back into vertebrae back together. There’s a loud crunch as the bones grind against each other. Nightmare squeaks in pain as Dream huffs in pain. “T-that wasn’t three.”

“Sorry. It’s better when people aren’t expecting it.” Sage responds as she places Nightmare’s charm against his spine in a way to stop it from getting worse before tying the long piece of fabric around the charm and going higher and lower than the injury to keep it cushioned and secured. “...Okay. Now, I can start to heal.” She lowers his top as she watches the blue fabric start to become a deep green. She starts to heal him and Nightmare looks at her.

“Thank you.” 

“No problem. I didn’t teach myself to heal only to heal no one.” Green smiles at her before the comment processes. He turns to Leo who only shrugs in return, none of them talked much of what they’ve been through. They all let out a sigh of relief as she stops healing and nodding to them. “Okay, your good. Just… Lean against Cross, and don’t move too much.” 

“Thank you, but how’s Ink?”

They all turn back to the window to see Ink oozing ink from different places.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ink’s expression makes it look like he wants to scream, but the tape over his mouth makes sure that he can’t. “Knowing you will die here.” He watches as a different Error blasts him at point-blank range and his body wavers as ink before his soul shows and cracks in half. He watches as Error’s expression changes to one of horror as his soul breaks apart and he dusts. He watches as the different Error falls to the ground and screams out in horror and agony. “Knowing there is no way out.” He watches as the Error crawls over to the pile of dust and cry as he scoops some of it up before the light goes out. The light turns back on to show lots of blue strings holding up a life-sized Ink doll. Error sits at its feet rocking himself back and forth as he cries. The doll seems to stare at him with its lifeless button eyes. “Fate is evidently clear…” Error stands up and grabs the doll and hugs it tightly before starting to dance with it. Ink tears up at the scene. “Seems you're just oblivious.” Now he understands why he was benched for so much after getting his soul. He cries out, he just wants his Error right now. The spotlight goes out again.

“Do you even have a clue?” In the darkness, he hears footsteps coming closer. “Do you even have one?” A tentacle slides against his cheekbone from behind and he turns around to see no one there. “All the evil things we do… Surprising that don't you run.” Shattered leaning into Ink’s face before pulling back, but staying in Ink’s line of sight. He turns to the side to bring forward fallen Blue. Blue’s bright red eye lights and sadistic grin. He summons a bone handle sword and points the tip under Ink’s chin and raises his skull.

“Knowing you will die here.” Blue coos to Ink as he tilts his skull to the side. His eye sockets close halfway as if he was tired, but the way his eye lights stayed on Ink said otherwise. “Knowing there is no way out.”

Red strings wrap around Ink and tie him down to the ground even more before dragging him away. His muffled scream fades as he disappears into the darkness. “Fate is evidently clear. Now it's time to scream and shout.” The screen goes black and everyone goes quiet as they wait for something to happen. 

But nothing does.


	11. My starmate, your love makes me powerful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Powerful - Major Lazer  
> Someone you like - The Girl and The Dreamcatcher

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry about this being so slow! My personal laptop died on me, so I won't have a faster laptop to type on other than my school one. And I apologize for the lack of a teaser on tumblr. I had it finished, but before I could send it to myself or even back it up is when my laptop died. :(

The screen flickers on and everyone’s attention is drawn back from the floor to what might happen. A shorter cloaked figure silently makes its way to a certain spot not too far from the window. They look side to side before looking up.

“Ink? Can you hear me?” They cup their mouth as they murmur. There isn’t any response before the figure reaches into their hood. They pull their hands away to reveal chartreuse strings on their fingertips. “Hold on, I-I can get you down.” 

They slowly extend their strings to Ink and wrap around him gently. They don’t tug him down but use their other hand to slowly create an outer shell around Ink so then Kitsune doesn’t suspect anything. With their first hand, they bring down Ink slowly back into their arms. Ink slowly looks at them and his eye-lights shine with recognition. They smile down at him as they move their yellow fox mask and he catches a glimpse of their bright teal eyes filled with tears.

“What do they do to you?” They lay him down on the ground and start to patch him up.

“It’s you. Leo… Sage… And Green. They all came from you.” They smile. The three mentioned perk up in awe and confusion. This was their creator? They look so… kind. Not like what they had made the three of them come from. Those feelings of awe become bitter and hardened. The others stare in awe, how does Ink know this creator? 

“Yes. Thank you for watching my children. Thank you so much, I could only do so much as the second creator of them. Thank you for doing what you did even when you told us that you would never try to interfere again.” Their tears drip onto the ground as they hold Ink closer. Suddenly it clicks for the three. This isn't their only creator. This is the one who wanted a happily ever after. Or at least wanted them to be happy. There was someone else who had more say than them. And Ink played a role in their creation? What was that about? The others are stumped. What did they mean that Ink had said that he would not interfere anymore? Dream and Cross both look away. They saw the results of what happens when Ink tries to help where he wasn't a part of. It wasn't pretty and Dream feels guilt and regrets bubbling in his non-existent stomach as he shifts in Cross's arms. They pull away for a moment, “call me… Liam.” Ink smiles. Now they have a name. 

"It's okay, Liam. You tried your best, and so did I."

"So. You went behind my back?" Liam tenses and holds Ink closer to themselves before turning to face Kitsune.

"No more. They have suffered enough. Their stories need to end happily! Look at them! You're hurting everyone."

"They are toys. Things for amusement. And I'm enjoying this game I get to play with them." Liam shrinks back as Ink holds onto them tighter.

"No! You're ruining everything! With all of your interference and being forceful! I don't like to get involved… And I almost never created my children because of you! I loved watching the creation of them, and seeing their adventures… But I hated you!" Liam turns their back to them before looking down at Ink. "After what you did to them… To Ink… I made this tree, this multiverse to hide them from you. To save them from you. But now you're back and harsher than ever."

"Yet, you leave Ink to pick up your slack as you hide?" Liam presses their mouth into a thin line.

"I know I did. I got scared. Of you. And I'm sorry that I left Ink on his own for this." Ink nods in forgiveness before Kitsune rolls their eyes.

"Sorry won't cut it." Liam has yanked away from Ink and strung up by Kitsune. Their struggle is futile as they try to pull the strings away from their throat. “Now. It’s your turn to play with them.” Liam whimpers while they struggle against the forceful pulling on their limbs causing them to move like a puppet. 

“N-no. I don’t want to!” Their hands are brought up to their mask as it falls back over their face completely. They cry out and struggle, but soon bend to the will of Kitsune. Liam doesn’t want to do it, but they don’t know how to stand properly for themselves against Kitsune’s oppressive nature. “I’m sorry.” They whisper as their strings make their way through the screen and wrap around Leo. “I’m sorry.” The strings aren’t tight enough to hurt Leo, but tight enough to make sure he can’t use his arms or move at all. “I’m sorry.” They cry as they feel Ink clawing at their pants, trying to get Liam to stop. “I’m sorry.” They can’t see properly through the tears as they pull Leo and Grillby, who had grabbed ahold of Leo and wouldn’t let go, through and into their arms. “‘m sorry.” They murmur as they hold Leo and Grillby close. “sorry for what has happened to you. For what will happen to you. I’m sorry.” 

“... Show them.” Everyone turns to Kitsune. “Show them their power. Make them dance, sing, or whatever. Entertain me. Properly this time.” Liam holds the two close before they become small plushies in their hands and looks down as they bite their lower lip from behind the mask.

“... Yes, of course.” Everyone in the room watches in horror as the plushies gain strings over them. Ink tries to crawl over before being pulled away by red strings. The ‘room’ fills with smoke as Ink and Kitsune disappear. Liam soon follows with soft whimpers following them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A snarling fire lion jumps away from Grillby’s arms. Grillby smirks as he holds his arms out to it. Leo watches him carefully as he circles around him as if he was getting ready to pounce before changing back into his skeleton form. He brings his hand up to his face as he studies Grillby.

“Oh my, my, my, what’d you do to me?” Leo’s eyes meet Grillby’s before he looks away in confusion. Even at their first meeting, they both knew something was calling them to each other. He stares at his hand as if it has the answers he’s looking for. “Like lighting when I'm swimming in the sea.” 

It clicks for Grillby, this is his mate. Or his soon to be mate. His star mate and he smiles. It still doesn’t click for Leo just yet, as he never believed in star mates, sure you could get as close to perfect love as you want, but it doesn’t exist. People can’t be made for each other, that doesn’t make sense. So, unfortunately for Grillby, he’ll just have to watch his star mate and be patient to play the long game.  _ From the very first time we loved _ . A ghost of a touch lingers on Leo’s hips from a dance he hasn’t danced yet. Ghosts of hands guide Leo's hips as he moves around. Leo stares at Grillby before blushing at the fact that half of Grillby’s top was shredded from his claws.  _ From the very first time we touched _ .

“Walking on wires and power lines.” Leo still circles Grillby, walking along the tops of walls as he makes his way around Grillby. He keeps his eye sockets trained on Grillby, judging, and analyzing him as if he was prey. He tries not to think too much about how hot, no pun intended, he was. “You threw your body on top of mine!” Leo blushes and looks away as Grillby chuckles. What had happened was the dare of Asriel. He dared Leo to run through cities as his lion before jumping into the lava in Hotlands. Leo was just about to do that when Grillby had thrown himself at Leo without thinking. “Every time that you lift me up.” His expression doesn’t change from being annoyed or pissed as Grillby picks him up with a smirk. “To the heavens and stars above.” The frame changes to one of them when they're older. Later after their first meeting and actual introduction, and when they started dating. Grillby is holding Leo in his arms as he dips him. Leo giggles softly with a love-struck smile as Grillby leans over him and moves his free hand to cup Leo’s jaw.

“Ooh Lord have mercy I'm begging you, please.” Grillby sings and most people’s jaws drop at his voice. Green and Sage smile at them and their happiness. Leo giggles more as Grillby quickly shifts him to his other arm with a pouty face. Grillby smirks before changing to a sad puppy look. “I'm feeling drained, I need love.” Leo wraps his arms around Grillby’s neck before turning himself on his toes into Grillby’s other arm again with a smile. Grillby pulls him closer to his face as Leo wraps his leg around Grillby’s waist, pulling himself closer as well. Grillby’s face is highlighted with rich purple color, making his magenta freckles stand out more. Leo’s cheekbones were glowing softly with an orange blush and the royal blue complimenting the blush at the edges. “You charge me up like electricity.” Leo lets go and bends backward over Grillby’s arm with a teasing smile and giggle as Grillby pouts. So close to getting a kiss but no dice. He lets his legs slide into the splits as far as Grillby will let him. “Jumpstart my heart with your love.” Grillby smiles widely before turning quickly on his heel, causing Leo to be pulled out of his splits, and throwing Leo straight up in the air. Everyone in the room gasps in shock as Leo’s laughter is heard ringing through the room. He twirls as he flies high into the air before spreading out his arms and legs as he falls back to Grillby.

“There's an energy!” They sing together as Grillby catches Leo from falling and immediately Leo uses Grillby as a pole to slide down back into his arms. “When you hold me.” Grillby moves his hands to hold Leo’s back and hips as Leo wraps his leg around Grillby once more and holds his back with one hand and his face with the other. Their souls start to faintly glow together. “When you touch me.” Once Grillby’s hand starts to slide higher up Leo’s spine, Leo’s grip loosens and he slides down again into a perfect split. Grillby guides Leo’s body back up before pulling him close and spinning him away. He grabs onto Leo’s hand at the last second and twirls him back into Grillby’s chest. “It's so powerful.” They look into each other’s eyes, Leo into Grillby’s golden eyes, and Grillby into Leo’s sunrise star-shaped eye lights which are changing into hearts. They pause for a moment and share a breath as they smile at each other. “I can feel it!” They call to each other as Grillby throws Leo back into the air. 

Leo twirls around as he goes straight up only to bounce off of Grillby’s hand and backflip away. As he does so, Grillby slides away with a smile to share a moment as time seems to slow down for the two of them as they face each other. One in the air, the other sliding as his flames move around them, leaving what looks like a trail of where they’ve been. Leo lands on his left foot before spinning sharply on it. As he turns away from Grillby, he bends forward and lands on his hand before using his weight to shift side to side on his radius and ulna as he keeps the rest of his body in the air. He keeps his center in the air as he makes his way back to Grillby. Soon enough, he flicks himself back into the air as Grillby does his spinning tricks before catching Leo. He pulls Leo in close to hold him. 

“When you hold me.” Their souls glow brighter as they seem to move without moving their legs. As if they were sliding over the ground like it’s ice. Grillby keeps his arms around Leo’s bend in his spine while holding Leo’s free hand. Leo keeps one arm around Grillby’s neck, his hand cradling the back of Grillby’s head. The flames licking Leo’s hand as they dance together. Almost a waltz, but with more dips and twirls. “When you touch me.” Grillby’s hands move to Leo’s waist as Leo’s move to hold onto each other from around Grillby’s neck. Grillby picks up Leo and twirls him around as Leo giggles at the two of them. Grillby lets go and Leo runs a little ways away from Grillby before turning around to face Grillby. He smiles as he starts to cartwheel towards Grillby. He ends it with a back handspring leading into a split. Grillby grabs onto Leo's hands as he circles around Leo. As Grillby pulls Leo up, Leo stays on the tip of his foot as Grillby spins him around. “It's so powerful!” They both breathe out at the same time as their eyes glow together. Grillby stops spinning Leo and pulls Leo into the air and holds him there for a moment. Leo’s soul glows brighter as his breath hitches.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Wow.” Dream breathes out in awe as he watches the dance. They look so beautiful as they dance. Everyone else can just stare dumbfounded at the two of them.

“This… This is the complete dance, isn’t it?” Green asks Sage. 

“Yeah. It is.” Nightmare rips his gaze away from them to look back at Green and Sage.

“What dance?” Everyone turns to them.

“The dance Leo does in the sunlight. The one we saw earlier. It always looked wrong… Like it wasn’t complete. I think with the two of them, it’s complete.” They notice the way they dance with each other is the same dance Leo did as they watched. 

“Holy shit, you’re right.” Dust leans closer to the screen in surprise and awe. Error notes that Ink’s soul is beating with a pulse of awe as well.

“But what does it have to do with their power? Cause that damned mask told Liam to show their power.” Cross mumbles under his breath as he watches them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There's an energy!” Leo wraps his leg around Grillby’s hip as Grillby dips them close to the floor. As he does so, Leo wraps his other leg around Grillby’s waist and lets go of Grillby’s neck, letting his hands barely touch the ground as he bends backward. “When you hold me.” Grillby pulls Leo close to him and leans close to Leo’s face as he hears Leo pant softly. Leo wraps his arms around Grillby’s neck and holds himself closer before unwrapping his legs and using his flexibility to bend over Grillby and land on his feet before turning to look back at Grillby over his shoulder. “When you touch me.” Grillby wraps his arms around Leo’s neck from behind and Leo leans into his touch with a soft pant. Leo brings his arms up to Grillby’s shoulders and pushes off the ground. With Grillby’s help, he’s on Grillby’s shoulders, straight in the air with only his arms supporting him. 

“It's so powerful!” Their souls give off a strong glow again and Leo pants softly again. His blush grows brighter as he pushes off of Grillby’s shoulders and into the air. Grillby catches Leo as Leo wraps his legs around Grillby’s neck along with his arms. “I can feel it!” Again their souls pulse together with a bright glow as Grillby leans forward into Leo’s space for a kiss. Leo kisses him softly before pulling away with a flustered look. Grillby lets Leo swing his legs away from his neck to the ground. ”When you hold me.” Grillby dips Leo, holding him by the bend in Leo’s spine as his other hand moves up the back of Leo’s rib cage. Leo holds onto Grillby’s robes as he bites his lower jaw. “When you touch me.” Grillby moves his hold on Leo, causing their hips to touch as they spin around in the dip. Grillby smirks at Leo’s expression as Leo softly whimpers. Even if this happened in the past, the feeling of love and lust building up over the years apart come crashing into this dance. Both faithful to each other, even during death. ”It's so powerful!” There was no one else with whom they could feel this close. No one else was made for them. Leo wraps his leg around Grillby’s torso before moving his arm up to drape over his shoulder and pull him closer in need of Grillby’s heat. Grillby holds Leo closer before kissing him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sage, despite being younger, covers Green’s eyes. She knew it was only a matter of time before the two of them would be over each other, but not in a dance! Although she’s pretty sure Leo explained it to her before, she must have not been paying attention. Green protests before Sage’s grip tightens and he stops moving with a soft gulp. 

“Holy shit. How is he so flexible?” Killer turns to Nightmare. “Did you see that? He fucking back bent over Grillby!” Nightmare nods with a chuckle as Killer stares in awe. “He’s got to teach me that.”

Dream blushes at the dance before looking away, Blue does the same. They’re a little embarrassed at watching their dance as it gets more intimate. Error watches in awe. He should’ve come to see this Au before destroying it. He should’ve seen it in its glory.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leo pulls away from the kiss and away from Grillby with a shy flustered smile. He takes a few steps before turning to look over his shoulder. “I couldn't leave even if I wanted to.” Grillby chuckles before picking Leo up from behind. Leo shrieks in laughter as he wraps his arms around Grillby’s arms. He playfully kicks out his legs as he looks up at Grillby’s smiling face. They fall backward onto the ground with smiles and laughter before Leo rolls over to look at Grillby properly. “'Cause, something keeps pulling me back to you.” They don’t notice that their souls seem to be pulling to each other in sync. They smile at each other lovingly as Leo props himself up on Grillby’s chest. 

“From the very first time we loved,” Grillby whispers to Leo causing him to squeak. “From the very first time we touched.” His arms snake up Leo’s back to hold his jaw and Leo leans into his touch before laying his hands over Grillby’s. Grillby sits up with Leo in his lap facing him. Green, Dream, Sage, Blue, and Error all look away as Grillby’s hand moves down the back of Leo’s top. Going in between the green half and the space-themed half, Grillby gently traces Leo’s spine as he goes lower. Leo barely whimpers as he leans closer to Grillby’s chest.

“The stroke of your fingers. The scent of your lingers.” Leo whimpers out as tears of pleasure gather in his sockets. He doesn’t understand. Grillby usually touches him like this and he isn’t this sensitive. It’s like he hasn’t been touched like this for a long time, but it hasn’t been a long time. Grillby notices the tears of pleasure as well and his curiosity builds as well. Leo starts to pant a little more as he feels a familiar heat coming off of himself. “My mind's running wild. The thoughts of your smile.” Leo looks up at Grillby with a love-sick smile before whimpering in overstimulation. It’s too much. Grillby pulls away at the whimper, he knows it’s too much. They both don’t know the reasoning. They sit there as Leo pants softly, unsure about what happened or if they should continue their mating dance. Leo smiles softly before cupping Grillby’s face. “Oh, you gotta give me some. Though you can give it all.” Grillby smirks before chuckling.

“But it's never enough no.” Leo blushes before looking away. Grillby only smiles before standing up and pulling Leo up to him. Leo softly murmurs at the touches before Grillby intertwines their fingers with one hand and holds Leo’s waist with the other. Grillby smiles as he slowly dances with Leo.

“There's an energy.” As they waltz in circles, a trail of golden orange magic follows in their wake. “When you hold me.” Leo leans in closer to Grillby with such a calm and loving expression that it surprises the rest who have never seen him like that. “When you touch me.” Grillby rests his chin on the top of Leo’s skull as they sway. “It's so powerful.” Leo nods as they both feel a familiar bubbling of magic fill their magic reserves. 

“I can feel it.” Leo looks up at Grillby as he tells him. Grillby nods in response. He does too. The others look confused. Leo intertwines their hands again and stares at their hands in amazement. “When you hold me. When you touch me.” Leo stops as Grillby spins him around for a moment. He giggles as Grillby stops to pull Leo’s hand up to his lips and softly kisses his knuckles. Grillby pulls Leo in close and holds him tightly. They don’t fully know this magic they feel between themselves. They sit back down holding onto each other. “It's so powerful.” Leo looks at their intertwined hands before looking back up at Grillby. Grillby nods in agreement as he holds Leo close.

While they may not know what this magic is, they do. Or at least, their souls do. From a different timeline, this magic is what won the war. It’s what saved them both. It’s what saved half of their kingdom. If certain steps were taken, but they weren’t in the main timeline. The scene flashes and the remnants of the past timeline take their place. Leo stands there in his armor, without his helmet, before turning to Grillby.

“Stay close. Don’t get separated. We will live to see another day.” Grillby nods before placing a kiss on Leo’s temple.

“Right.”

“Hey! Don’t forget about me!” They turn to Flowey on Leo’s arm and smile.

“No, we won’t forget about you. You’re going to stay with me or just stay near me. Got it?” Flowey nods with a smile. “Alright. We are doing this my way. Okay?”

“Wow. Leo, you usually listen to the king. What’s going on today?” Leo grits his teeth.

“Under normal circumstances, I would listen to the king. But we are at war. I must protect my kingdom.” He turns to Grillby. “I also want to live to see my wedding day and start a family. Is that understood?” Grillby blinks before nodding. “Good. Now,” he turns to the army behind him. “Look alive! The enemy is coming!”

The others watch in amazement and horror as they charge into battle under Leo’s command. They watch as this time, Grillby and Leo work together and stay as close as they can to each other. Their fighting style reflected their dance, the more they watched the more they noticed. The two of them seem to dance around each other as they fought and at one point Undyne and Asgore joined their battle. They watch as Leo takes a blow to his skull, cracking it. Grillby turns around at the same time to witness it. Leo stabs the monster with his spear before they could do anything else, but the damage was done. The magic, silent at first, was starting to bubble again. It wasn’t until Grillby took a splash of water to his arm did the magic start to boil. It was thick like honey but hot like lava. It roared like thunder between the two as Grillby kills off his attacker. Suddenly, Leo drops his spear as he grunts in pain. 

The magic boils up through Leo and suddenly a burst of flames roars off of him. He grows in size, becoming a giant fire lion just like before, but bigger and hotter. He roars out in anger as Grillby watches. Flowey, from the ground, watches in awe. _I can feel it._ The lion looks around with a sense of duty and determination. He rushes off to the side of the enemy, going through attacks not caring if they hurt him. _When you hold me_. He rushes through to the other side with a roar before swiping at enemies with his fire paws, burning them to a crisp. _When you touch me. It's so powerful._ The magic bubbles up again, causing Leo to summon gaster blasters as well. They go off at the same time as he pounces on a group of enemies. _There's an energy. When you hold me. When you touch me._ His mind has only order: protect Grillby. Protect his mate. He roars once more before looking over at the other side of the battlefield as he continues to swipe at the other army. Flames of his phase through his friends and allies, only to burn the enemies. He feels a tug on his soul before turning again back to the direction of Grillby. _It's so powerful_.

Grillby hunches over before the sudden burst of magic make his flames burst and burn brighter. Leo watches as a man, made of fuchsia flames, burst from the ground and forms a ball of fire in his hand before throwing it to a different area of the battle.  _ I can feel it! When you hold me when you touch me. It's so powerful! _ Leo roars to get the man of fire’s attention before making his way over. The pull of magic on his soul proves this is his star mate. This is Grillby in his elemental form and this was Leo’s true zodiac form. Grillby looks at Leo and rests his forehead against Leo’s for a moment. The others in the room go slack-jawed. If Leo could wipe out a battlefield on his own, what could the two of them do? It’s only then that they notice the lack of fighting on the ground and realize it’s because they are all frozen. In awe or fear, it’s clear what emotion they feel on each side. A Zodiac on its own can be powerful. But one with a mate is even more powerful. However, a Zodiac with a stare mate, that's their same element? Not only is that stupid rare, but the two tend to share a magic that no one else has. A type that hasn't been studied yet. Grillby points to the other side of the battlefield and Leo nods.  _ I can feel it. When you hold me. When you touch me _ _. _ With a roar and another ball of fire, they finish off the enemy. They are safe, and the kingdom is as well. They won.  _ It's so powerful _ . Soon, the flames die away for both of them and they run towards each other. Leo tears up as he launches himself into Grillby’s arms and cries as they tumble in the snow. 

“Hold me in your arms!” He cries out as he looks up at Grillby. Grillby notices there is a burn mark over Leo’s right eye, but he isn’t blind. This time the magic had two faucets running at the same time. It isn't like how it did turn out, but the mark seems to be a constant reminder to wait for his mate before tapping into that magic again. He tries to keep the tears away from touching the burn. “Burns like a fire.” He thinks for a moment before shaking his head. “Electricity.” The only thing that runs through the minds of everyone other than Leo is:  _ 'How would he know what electricity burns like?' _

“When you're close I feel the sparks.” Grillby flirts to try and get his attention off the burning bones. Leo chuckles weakly as he holds onto Grillby tighter.

“Takes me higher to infinity.” He mumbles in response.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“.......wow.” Dream’s jaw drops as he shifts to sit up straighter before wincing in pain. Cross helps him with a nod of agreement. 

“That was something. Something special and beautiful.” Green murmurs in awe. “Something I won’t ever forget.” Sage only nods. Everyone else just agrees, not knowing how to react to what they just saw. They watch in awe as the remains of the dead timeline burn away to show the two still sitting there before smoke covers them.

“Eh. That was alright. Try again. It wasn’t boring. But it wasn’t exciting.” Their attention is drawn over to Liam sitting on their knees as they shakily look up at Kitsune sitting in a chair of their strings, hand to the mask as if they are bored. Liam only whimpers as they bow down and nods before collecting the two dolls in their hands. They cradle them close to their chest before using the strings to move them like a puppet show again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The screen blurs before showing a ballroom. Everyone looks around the scenery in awe. The room glows with a faint light as monsters dance around. Some are standing around talking or eating. Faint laughter is heard growing louder as they turn their attention to Leo. Their jaws drop at him as he dances with Asriel. 

They take in the very fact that they could see his feet in golden thread sandals as they wrap up his tibias and fibulas and disappear from under his pants. His burgundy to black pants cut off right above his ankle and are held up by a golden rope belt. His top is made of silk and shows off his clavicles and half of his scapula on his back. His sleeves start halfway down his humerus and cover half of Leo’s hands. The colors are magenta flames until the very top of the sleeves where it is contrasted with light spring green, which seems more yellow than green. While his top is a deep violet and navy in the shape of flames as they climb up the top meeting with a golden yellow shade. On the side of his chest are an embroidered triangle in a yellow thread and a constellation that maybe Sci or Outer could tell them which it is. Although, it goes without saying that it’s his constellation. His symbol on his cheek is a bright teal as he has nervously laughed at what Asriel said. They notice what looks like winged teal eyeliner framing his eye sockets as his orange blush covers his cheekbones. The edges of his blush a royal blue, causing his eyes to pop more, intentionally or not. On his skull is what looks like a crown, with a triangle charm connecting a charm of the Leo symbol to the crown. It dangles in between his eyebrow ridges. 

They notice as Leo’s eye lights keep darting over at the side, before noticing Grillby standing against the wall holding a glass of what they assumed was sunlight. He’s wearing a red cloak around his shoulders connected by a golden clasp. His golden robes are layered as they fall from one shoulder. They gather at his hips with a belt before flowing down like fluid down to his knees. There are black pants under them, sandals like Leo’s on his feet as well. On both the outside cloak and on his top is the same embroidered symbol as the one on Leo’s choker. It's then that everyone notices the lack of said choker on Leo. Grillby keeps staring at Leo as Leo dances with a fond smile.

“I saw you, with that crown around your skull.” Leo twirls around holding onto his pant leg as if it was a dress. His crown charms jingle softly as he dances, his eye sockets closed as he laughs. Grillby brings a hand to the back of his neck as he blushes. “Think that I began to stare.” The others chuckle as he quickly looks away as soon as Leo stops dancing for a moment with a confused face. He looks around in confusion before looking in Grillby’s direction and staring for a moment before dancing again. “I know that I'll love you for our lives.” Grillby looks back over at him with a smile and a chuckle as he brushes a stray flame back into place. “A stranger dancing alone in a place.” They watch as Asriel walks away to get a drink. Leo nods and starts to dance on his own in a circle around the dancefloor. “And a really pretty face.” Leo stops to look at his brothers before turning to Grillby again. Grillby waves at him with a smile and soft blushes. “I wonder what happens when you smile.” Leo looks around before pointing at himself with his blush growing. Grillby’s small smile grows as he chuckles and nods. Leo blinks once owlishly before smiling softly and waving back at him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Aw, look at the two of them!” Dream and Blue both coo at the same time. The others laugh at the two of them.

“Young love.” Sage coos as well before narrowing her eyes. Green turns to her once he feels pressure on his side.

“Sage?” He blinks at her angered face.

“He better not try anything on Mama. If this is when I think it is.” Everyone sweat drops before looking back at the screen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The scene changes again and they’re outside in a berry garden. The berries are surrounded by echo flowers, marigolds, and solar flowers. They’re sitting on a bench facing each other as they laugh at different pick-up lines. Leo blushes at one before snorting and freezing. They watch as his eye lights go out and he blushes heavily and his smile becomes rigid. 

“Which is easier?” Grillby looks at him in confusion. “you getting into those pants?” He gestures down at Grillby’s underpants and Grillby looks down at them before looking back up at Leo. “O-or me getting you out of them?” Grillby’s flames burst with purple highlights as he gasps. Leo’s face explodes with a blush as the others chuckle at the two of them in confusion except those who get the joke, they’re laughing loudly at it. Grillby laughs loudly at the pick-up line as Leo reboots. Grillby smiles before the scene goes a few hours later. Grillby is standing on the bench and Leo is sitting in front of the bench as Grillby talks.

“I might never be your hero.” Leo laughs as Grillby flexes as he sings ‘hero’. Grillby closes his eyes as he looks down with a hand behind his head. “Never been one to fight.” He shrugs as everyone in the room jaws drop.  _ Not one to fight? Then what the hell would you call what we just saw _ ? Was the collective thought of everyone in the room. He jumps down from the bench and holds out a hand to Leo. Leo takes his hand and pulls himself up. Grillby brings Leo’s hand to his mouth and kisses his knuckles as he bends in a bow. Leo blushes at the sign of respect and the fact that Leo was supposed to bow to him. Grillby looks up at Leo. “That doesn’t mean that I can't be your Valentine.” Leo blushes even more as Grillby raises an eyebrow with a loving smirk. He takes his hand back with a flustered giggle. Grillby chuckles softly as he circles around Leo and holds him from behind. “I won't be your savior either.” He rests his cheek against Leo’s skull and Leo looks up at him as he smiles down at him. “Couldn't even if I tried.” He smirks as he shrugs again. He moves again to the side of Leo before handing him a slip of paper. “But I think I could be someone you like.” He leans closer to Leo and whispers something to him and Leo glows brightly from his blush as Grillby kisses him on his cheekbone. “Someone you like.” He winks as he walks away. Leo stands there not moving before his sleeves catch on fire. Asriel comes running out as he laughs and starts to pat Leo’s sleeves out.

“Leo! C-calm *wheeze* down! These robes aren’t fireproof!” The others start to chuckle as the rest of Leo’s top catches on fire before Asriel comes running back with a bucket of water and dumps it over Leo to douse the flames.

“Reading, at the bar that you share.” They hear Leo’s voice sing like a voice-over as they watch Leo sitting in a booth at Grillby’s bar. He sits there with a glass of rum and sunlight reading a book of spear throwing forms. “Hiding shy behind my hood.” He pulls his winter cloak hood higher as Grillby looks over at him before taking a sip of his drink. “Watching our movie in my mind.” He watches as a faint ghost of the future comes from the fireplace and sits at the bar with a smile before leaning over it and kissing Grillby before ordering. He returns his gaze to his book with a blush. His hands shake as he thinks about running. “I promise, promise not to run away.” 

He bookmarks the page with a shaky smile before gulping down the rest of his drink. He wipes his mouth before closing his book and picking up his glass. He walks over to the bar and sits down in what would be his spot from then on. “Make a story of today.” He softly chuckles as he pulls down his hood and Grillby smiles at him. He leans in to kiss Leo on the cheekbone, but Leo pulls away with a smirk. He laughs before pushing his glass towards Grillby. He looks at it before looking back at Grillby. To the two of them, the message is clear: A kiss for another rum and sunlight. Leo rests his arms on the counter as he leans closer before making a coming motion with his finger. 

“Come on give me a try.” He teases as Grillby raises an eyebrow at him. He smiles softly at Leo, not noticing the looks of shock around the bar. No one has gotten Grillby to open up like that to anyone. 

The scene goes forward a few years. Leo sits Grillby down on one of the benches in the Hotlands near where they first ran into each other. He takes a deep breath.

“'m pregnant.” He mumbles out and before Grillby can ask him to repeat it, he clears his throat and holds his head up high as he brings a hand to his chest. “I’m Pregnant.” Grillby blinks in shock before he starts to cry in joy. He wants a kid, he always dreamed of having a kid with his star mate. Sans mistakes the tears for nerves or even fear. He starts to shake as he waits for Grillby to respond.

“I might never stop your sorrow. Fix you up good as new.” The voiceover of Leo sings. As he drops to his knees in fear of having to give up the baby. He doesn’t want to, but he’s scared. What if Grillby leaves him? O-or they aren’t ready?

“I’m s-sorry. d-did you n-not-” Leo is cut off by Grillby hugging him close and tightly as he cries. 

“I’m going to be a father!” He cries out in laughter as he picks up Leo and spins around. Leo relaxes before joining in Grillby’s laughter as he holds onto Grillby. He leans in for a kiss before moving his hand to hold onto Grillby’s.

“But that doesn’t mean that I can't hold your hand in mine.” They smile as they celebrate with a dance. Grillby can’t help himself as he rests his hand on Leo’s chest where his lover’s soul is but also now where his baby’s soul is. Soon enough, he gets on his knees and presses the side of his head to Leo’s chest to listen to the two soul pulses. The others smile sadly as they remember that the child was never born. 

“You won’t let me say I'm sorry!” Leo’s voice wavers as he holds onto Grillby tightly as tears stream down his jaws. He’s shaking as Grillby cries silently while holding him just as tightly. “Even if I have done you wrong.” Grillby shakes his head. 

“You did nothing wrong. It was that damn human.” Grillby murmurs to Leo. Leo sniffles for a second trying fruitlessly to wipe away all his tears. The scene changes to one where they are sitting near the ruins, sharing a time for coffee as they watch the others go about their day.

“But I think I could be someone you like.” Leo looks over at Grillby before kissing him on the cheek. He smiles softly as Grillby blushes. “Someone you like.” He glances down into the river they're sitting near before looking shyly back at Grillby with a smile.

“I might never be your hero.” The two of them sing in perfect harmony as they hold each other’s hands. They don’t make eye contact, but they don’t care. “But I think I'd like to try.” They look at each other and smile lovingly before leaning on each other. The screen flashes, and suddenly they’re back in Grillby’s bar. The others watch as Grillby gets on one knee and pulls out the black choker and holds it out to Leo. Leo gasps as he brings his hands to his mouth in shock and joy. He nods and throws himself at Grillby as the bar lets out whoops of celebration. The others catch on, that this is the moment that Grillby proposed. “And the way you (I) look at me (you) is your (my) reply.” Grillby laughs as he picks Leo up and twirls him around in joy. The screen flashes once more and suddenly they’re back in the past. Not that the others know, but this was after their first “date.” When Grillby was trying to woo Leo into dating him, as well as trying to explain that they are star mates. Leo turns on his heel and marches his way back to Grillby. He pokes his finger into Grillby’s chest.

“You got a lot to learn about me!” He thinks for a moment before backing away from Grillby’s space with a small blush. Grillby looks confused and Leo smiles before turning back around. “Maybe you could start tonight.” He waves to Grillby as he walks away. He smiles as he feels the heat come from Grillby even as he walks away. “'Cause I think I could be someone you like.” He sighs as he lovingly rolls his eye lights. “Someone you like.” He chuckles as he smiles with Asriel.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dream coos as the amount of positivity and love give him the strength to heal faster on his own. Blue and dust look at each other and smile. Everyone sits in peace and love for a moment. Error goes to turn to Ink, only to remember that Ink isn't with him and he's holding onto Ink's soul. He sends a soft pulse of love and worry before feeling it pulse back with love and comfort. He smiles at it before looking back up at the screen. They all watch as the fog, which suddenly appeared in Error's opinion, clears and shows Liam crying harder as they hold the two dolls close to their chest.

"No more! I don't like this!" Kitsune sits up in anger. They mark their way to Liam and grab them by their neck.

"It isn't about what  _ you _ want. It's not about what  _ they _ want! It's about what  **_I_ ** want! You are a creator. Your only job is to give me entertainment the way I want it! And if you won’t share your toys, then I'll take them myself! I can play with them in the way I want to!" Kitsune reaches for the two dolls in Liam's left hand as Liam keeps them out of reach. He growls loudly as he shocks Kitsune’s wrist causing Kitsune to drop him.

"No! That's not how it works!" They shield the dolls with their body as they glare up at Kitsune. "You can't just ruin their story! You know that most of their story has been written! You know I'm not done yet! They still need the happy ending that Napi took from them!" Tears fall from their eyes as they glare. "He wanted to hurt them! He went behind my back! But now I have the chance to set it right! So I get to give them the happy ending they deserve! You aren't allowed to touch a work in progress unless I say so! I already dealt with Napi, now I am the sole creator! So back off of my babies! I  **_know_ ** who you are! I know your name! Don’t make me say it!" They spit with such anger and hatred dripping from their words.

Kitsune steps back in a mix of shock and fear. Creator names hold a lot of power. Knowing them is a gift and dangerous. That's why most don't give their names. Ink's eye sockets widen in realization. That's why Liam went missing for so long. The others in the room all look around in awe and shock. Green and Sage turn to each other with unreadable expressions before Sage cracks. 

"Does this mean… we'll get a happy ending?" Liam turns to the screen and stares at Sage. They smile softly and Sage and Green find themselves trying to take in every detail of their face. The bright teal eyes clouded in sadness and hope. The freckles that seem to spread from one cheek, going over their nose, to the other. The faint rosy blush under their eyes. Their sad but hopeful smile causing a dimple in their left cheek to appear. Their lips are a dark red from Liam biting them. Liam stares directly into Sage’s eye lights.

“Yeah, my darling. You will get a happily ever after. I may not be able to rewrite your stories without changing your memories, but I can sure as hell give you a good ending. Same as you Green.” Liam smiles at them before making their way over to the screen holding the dolls delicately. They stand right in front of the window and Sage and Green come closer. Liam pushes their way into the room and walks over to the corner. They set the dolls down, Leo being in Grillby’s lap, and suddenly the two of them are normal again. “I’m sorry that you had to suffer. But now I will fight for you.” They turn around and face the others with a determined smile. “All of you.” 

As they make their way back to the window they stop at Sage and Green. They softly cup Sage’s jaw, and she doesn’t pull away. She feels safe. Liam smiles with a soft huff of air before rubbing their hand over Sage’s cracked cheek and vertebrae. Everyone gasps softly as the cracks shrink and Sage tears up. Even if she can talk, she’s been straining herself to speak, but now it doesn’t hurt anymore. 

“Thank you.” Liam only nods before turning to Green.

“My darling boy. I may not be able to do much for you. And I’m sorry for their loss. They did not deserve that. I’m sorry.” They rest their forehead against Green’s before walking out of the room. They wipe their tears again and take in a deep breath as a feeling of bravery washes over them. “Kitsune! Come out and give them back Ink! He doesn’t belong to you!” Liam tucks and rolls out of the way of strings. They continue to use gymnastics to dodge the strings and suddenly it clicks for the others. Liam is the reason that the three of them are so flexible. Suddenly, Liam grabs the strings and pulls Kitsune in. “Give up… Bani.” Kitsune’s breath hitches as their pupils shrink in panic and fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, to clear things up. In the multiverse, Leo, Sage, and Green all have the same two creators. Liam and Napi. While IRL-wise, it be just me. So at one point, Liam left Ink to guard the Multiverse by himself to "settle" things with Napi (read: killed Napi). Liam is kinda like my inverse stand-in. And Kitsune's name is a hint for something that might shock you later down the line~ *wink wink*


	12. NOT A CHAPTER! UPDATE THO!

So as the title suggests, this isn't an actual chapter. However, it is important! So please read this!

So first of all... I will be also uploading this story to my Wattpad account! So if you end up seeing it on Wattpad, don't think that someone stole it. 'Cause, most of this is shit and I'm not sure why you're reading it but thank you so much anyway! Also on the topic of uploading it to Wattpad, I will be editing it before uploading it there because there is now a change in ships. 

I don't really take it to heart if you don't ship these ships. To each their own. You're free to ship whoever you want to, no judgment here. As long as you don't go into the comments and start saying things like "I don't like this ship. Change it back." or anything like that.

Okay?

Thank you. Anyways! The only two new ships are ErrorInkKillMare and Echoing Stagelove. The first one because I flumping love it and it's underrated in my opinion, but you didn't ask for my opinion. Anyway, the second one is one of my own makings. It's with Sage, Lust, and Echo.

Yes, Horror is a single pringle, but he's very close friends with Lust and Sage. Lust was his first true friend and Sage because she was so sweet to him. To Horror, Sage is a small bean that needs protection. She often has food ready for his visits and always tries to ease the aching pain of his hole. But anyway, Horror is the overprotective friend. Echo met Lust first at an Au party and then later met Sage through Lust. They know to be slow and let Sage set the pace for everything touchy. Leo at first was very protective of Sage but grew to accept it. Sage doesn't understand that this is what true love really is, but she's learning slowly. Lust and Echo are willing to wait since there are moments that make it so worth it. (More on that later, so there will be a one-shots book)

So, on Wattpad I will edit it before posting so then it's these ships from the beginning. On here, I'll just start the ships from here on to whenever I stop writing about Sans Aus. Which probably won't be for a while. 

Anyways! The last thing, for now, is that I have a Youtube now! I am using Gacha Club because it's the easiest for me. I've already uploaded a few videos! It will be a different light/take on this Multiverse. You can watch it if you want! My username is: Liam Carmelc-ink

Anyway, that's it for now! The next chapter will be coming soon! I'm sorry that it's taking so long though! I've just been lazy with my writing and I really didn't want to half-ass anything. Hope you enjoy it from this point on!


	13. My boy, karma is tainting your home.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karma - AJR  
> My Boy - Billie Elish  
> No place like Home - Todrick Hall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact, I was going to upload it earlier, but then I fucking closed the tab before it could save, so I lost the last song's story and sat there in shock for a good fifteen minutes before having to rewrite it.

"Wh-what?" Bani cuts their strings before kicking off of Liam's arm. They stumble back in panic as they look around. They look back at Liam with hatred. "How do you know that name?! No one should know that name!" Ink's eye sockets widen at the mentioned name. His expression changes to one of disbelief. How could they do that? Why would they do that? He thought they were supposed to be friends.

"What? Do you not like that name, Bani?" Liam stares directly into Bani's eyes with defiance and hate.

"Stop."

"Huh? I'm sorry. Did you say something, BANI?!" Liam comes closer and Bani steps back.

"Shut up! Don't say-"

"You want me to speak louder?! Okay, BANI!" Liam screams in their face as their face grows red with rage. Bani growls loudly before throwing a punch at Liam. Liam steps back at the last moment, throwing Bani off balance before punching them in the gut. "You don't like me calling you by your name? I don't like you messing with my babies. I may not have created the others, but…" Liam punches Bani in the gut. "You. Will. Not. Touch. Them. As. Long. As. They. Are. In. This. Multiverse." Liam punches Bani with each word. Bani only grunts before grabbing Liam and throwing them onto the ground.

“I said SHUT UP!” 

The grounds shake with the scream as Liam cries out in pain. Liam brings a hand to their shoulder, only to find it dislocated. The others stare in horror and disgust. Dream and Blue bring a hand to their mouths as they see Liam wince away from touching their shoulder. Leo barely opens his eye sockets, he can’t move. And it isn’t because Grillby is holding onto him, but he’s so tired and so hot. He can’t bring himself to move, not even to grab his spear which is only a few inches away. Everything is fuzzy, and he can’t tell who is who by sight. The others brace themselves against the walls, Cross and Error work together to protect Ink’s soul. Liam, distracted by the pain, becomes tangled in Bani’s strings. Bani quickly knocks them out before throwing them somewhere else. 

“No!” Ink cries out as he reaches out to Liam’s falling body. The resounding crack silences everyone. Bani chuckles before standing over Ink and staring down into Ink’s eye sockets. The sound of a button is heard before seeing a glitching button under Bani’s hand. Ink’s sockets widen, and the others can’t see why since they can’t see the button. “No, don’t-!” 

Bani presses the button.

Silence. 

No one moves. Not until Error and Cross notice Ink’s soul glitch for a second. Then comes the screams. Ink screams out in pain as his body falls back into ink and Bani turns to the window. They don’t need to see their face to know that they’re smiling.

“Let’s take a look into the past.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The screen clears and shows a small tree. One figure with a familiar fox mask is tending to the tree. They watch as the past Liam smiles and moves their mask to half cover their face. They wipe sweat from their face before continuing to paint branches and leaves. Another figure is sitting there watching Liam and looking around. They’re on guard, wary of any other creators. If they would try and see this tree in progress or taint it. They all notice that the figure has a green bunny mask. It’s Bun-Bun. Bun-Bun turns to the side as a small skeleton runs his way over to them from behind the tree. Ink sniffles as he wipes his eye sockets and stands there for a moment before throwing his broomie to the ground with a cry of anger and grief. Everyone notices two of his vials seemed to have exploded onto him. Royal blue and magenta. 

Grief and love.

Bun-Bun comforts him as Liam looks over in sadness. They quickly stop creating the tree before running over to comfort Ink. With murmurs of apology, everyone is curious about what happened. They recognize the white mask in Ink’s hands. The one that became the unspoken rule of never asking about. The most that Cross, Reaper, and the Stars could ever get from Ink was that it belongs to someone special to Ink. Liam softly wipes Ink’s tears with their thumb before taking the jacket that Ink was also holding, and ties it around Ink’s waist. Everyone immediately connects the dots of that being the jacket that Ink used to wear everywhere around his waist. The same one that is in Ink’s closet, the same one that he wears whenever he’s cold. He refuses everyone else’s jackets and only wears one, and he rarely washes it for reasons also unknown to the others. Liam puts their forehead against Ink’s fore skull before continuing to work on the tree. Bun-Bun places their hand over Ink’s and he takes a breath. He knows this is Bun-Bun’s way of telling him to talk or ramble- anything. Ink closes his eye sockets.

“I've been so good, I've been helpful and friendly.” He smiles as he remembers the newer, shyer creator approaching him for help. Him smiling and helping in exchange for access to the completed Au. “I've been so good, why am I feeling empty?” Unaware of his actions, he brings a hand to his sash of vials with a confused look across his face. He spaces out as he subconsciously traces the vials. Bun-Bun squeezes him on the shoulder and he nods before continuing. “I've been so good, I've been so good this year.” The inky black tears he spilled come together to show a small version of Swap Sans, the first version. He manipulates the ink to play out their meeting. “I've been so good, but it's still getting harder.” The ink Swap Sans rapidly falls apart before reforming in different versions. The last slowly builds up to Blue’s height before a black inky version of Blue is smiling back at Ink. Ink lets the ink fall back to the ground with a splat. “I've been so good, where the hell is the karma?” 

He looks back at the mask as royal blue tears bubble in the corners of his sockets again. A silhouette of the skeleton the others don’t know appears. Their face is blurred out as they stand there in a blue jacket. Their save star-shaped necklace dangles loosely around their neck as they turn to face Ink. They fade away and Ink chases after them, Bun-Bun doesn’t stop him. The window follows Ink as he runs back to the tree. He swings his arm out and the leaves form a portal and he hops through it into the gravity-free area that they know as the multiverse. They watch as he follows close behind a blackened silhouette towards an Au. They watch in confusion as Ink passes by a confused Fresh. 

“I've been so good, I've been so good this year.” The screen flashes white.

Suddenly, Ink and the other skeleton are sitting under a tree together laughing. Ink slowly stops laughing as he grabs the other’s hands. Cross, Error, Killer, and Nightmare don’t like the feelings bubbling in them. The others are only left to wonder who it is. Green looks at Leo and makes a gesture that no one else knows. Green has seen this skeleton when looking into Ink’s “heart.” Ink leans into the touch of the others with a soft rainbow blush. The other chuckles softly before frowning. They rub their thumb against the dark bags under Ink’s sockets. They tilt Ink’s skull softly to the side and Ink follows the hands before leaning more into the touch with closed eye sockets.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?” Even if his face is covered by a mask, they can hear the sadness and hurt in his voice. Ink slowly opens his eye sockets to look up at the skeleton with a question mark and heart-shaped eye light.

“‘Why?’” Ink blinks in confusion. “Are you asking me why?” The other nods before whispering something else and Ink looks at him in both confusion and worry. “‘Why are my days and nights filled with disappointments?’” Ink chuckles before waving him off. The other frowns as he grabs Ink’s hands again and forces him to look him in the eye sockets. Ink blinks owlishly as he starts to blush again.

“Inky, please. Darling, are you alright?” Coos the other, trying to coax Ink into telling him as well as calm him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Darling?!” Error, Killer, and Nightmare look at the mystery skeleton in jealousy as Error feels Ink’s soul flutter with love and adoration. The others look between each other in confusion. 

“Have you ever seen him?” Blue shakes his head.

“No, have you?” Dream shakes his head as he brings a hand to his mouth in thought.

“No. Maybe Ink still needs to introduce us to him?” Cross shakes his head as he stares at the other skeleton.

“That can’t be the case if they were in love.” Dream turns to Cross.

“Maybe it was a bad break up?”

“Maybe…” _But I have a bad feeling about it._ Nightmare chimes in. He stares at the two as Ink rubs the other’s knuckles. He doesn’t make eye contact. If it's what he thinks it is… His jealousy dies down to regret and leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. _Why wouldn't Ink tell us about him?_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Fine, oh no, everything's fine.” 

He starts to shake as he pulls his hands away, looking for something to distract himself. He grabs his scarf and turns away from the other as he scans what he wrote. The other only reaches out to Ink with a hesitant and nervous hand. Ink chuckles as he looks back at the other with tears in his sockets as he points to a certain time and date on his scarf. 

He doesn’t want to think about what is going to happen. No matter what Ink tries, he won’t be saved. He just wants to enjoy this time he has left with him, but he can’t do that if he’s worried about Ink.

“I'm not sure why I booked that day's appointment…” The screen flashes again and it’s only Ink standing by himself on the hill. He traces the mask with a finger before putting it on. He takes a small breath as he looks around. 

“I've been so good, I've been helpful and friendly.” He closes his eyes as he makes his way back to the tree and runs a hand against the bark. Afraid to stop after starting in case that if he stops touching the tree, the Au will collapse. “I've been so good, why am I feeling empty?” Finally, he does stop as he sits down in between the roots of the tree. He wraps his arms around his legs as he sits there. The mask shifts with his movements, causing it to be pushed up.

“I've been so good, I've been so good this year.” A bittersweet smile appears on his face before the ground starts to shake. He jumps up in fear before getting out of the Au, only to see that it’s crumbling to pieces. He tears up before hesitating to try and help. The others question the hesitation except for Cross and Dream. Ink cries into his hands and prays that it will stop soon. “I've been so good, but it's still getting harder!” He watches as it stops, before starting again. Slower.

Stop.

Start. Slow down.

Stop.

Ink cries harder as he creates a golden bubble around the Au, an outside protective layer to save the Au. “I've been so good, where the hell is the karma?” A memory of the other skeleton’s carefree and relaxed smile flashes both the screen and Ink’s mind as he heads off towards more Aus. “I've been so good, I've been so good this year.” The screen flashes again. 

Ink is thrown out of an Au as it starts to crumble. He cries out in pain and despair as he tries to hurry back to it. He brings out his creator’s paper and rips it in half. Using one half to code and the other as a drawing board. He takes a deep breath in before touching both papers. He screams out in pain as he pushes through the destabilizing shocks, determined on bringing the Au back. Cross bangs on the window to get him to let go, to stop before he rips himself apart again. Ink is thrown back as Fresh pulls him away, everyone silently thanks Fresh as he holds Ink. Ink reaches out to try and save the Au, but can only watch as it crumbles away into nothingness. He cries for a few moments before hugging Fresh tightly. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_He really does care… I’m so sorry that I ever doubted you, Ink. I should’ve thought… I’m sorry._

Everyone either looks away or stares uncomfortably at the scene. They never see this side of Ink. He never lets them. He only lets them see him as the lovable, chaotic, short, nice but can be a jackass, memory of a goldfish Ink. This whole thing has made them see him differently, in ways they never really thought of him being. They knew that he could be serious when he wanted, they never knew that he was actively making sure they only saw what he wanted them to see. It makes three of them feel completely useless. How can they do nothing when Ink is hurting? Nightmare also realized that this must be the reason that there were always lingering negative emotions with Ink, even if it was just a fraction of feelings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The screen flashes again and Ink is back to work, but with a soft tender redness under his sockets. He looks up from another Au before realizing someone is calling him in X-tale. Cross looks away as Ink makes his way towards the past Cross. Memories flash across the screen. One of Ink running after Cross, who is running away with Ink’s brush. Another with Ink accidentally painting Cross with rose-colored paint. Another of them falling asleep against each other on the couch Ink created. Finally, it latches onto one where Ink is standing in front of X-Gaster. Everyone, other than Cross, gulps as they watch him offer something to Ink. Then, their attention is pulled to Cross behind the couch.

“No! I was fooled once! You can’t trick me into playing this ‘game’ of yours! I don’t care if you offer a soul, I’m saving Cross from this Au. Either I’m bringing it back or I’m taking him with me! I know what being alone in a space can do to someone.” He mumbles the last bit as he looks away. He brings his attention back to X-Gaster. “So leave this place, before I make you disappear for good. I know what you’ve done here and I won’t hesitate to erase you.” Everyone’s eye sockets widen as Ink glares at X-Gaster. Ink leaves after X-Gaster does and the screen flashes again. 

They watch as Ink appears during what they assume is night. Cross raises an eyebrow ridge as Ink stares at the past Cross sleeping. Ink softly sighs with a smile before pulling out a coding paper. He quickly codes something into Cross and everyone looks at it in surprise. ‘What did Ink just do?’ Is the main question that becomes clear with what Ink says next. 

“I won’t let them touch you. Now you can come with me out into the Multiverse without the possibility of being targeted by **_them_ **.” He smiles sadly before leaving and moving to the DoodleSphere and creates an extra room in his house. 

The screen flashes again and Ink stares at a bed of golden flowers. He swears that he sees ()-!|\| and himself sitting there playing with the flowers. Ink turns his head as he hears his name being called. He turns to see Dream looking at him.

“What?” He walks towards Dream with a crooked smirk. “‘Am I normal or not?’” He stops in front of Dream and stares up at him. He brings a finger up to his mouth in thought. “Am I crazier than other creators?” Dream sputters out a gibberish answer and Ink laughs before pulling Dream along. Dream blushes softly as he runs to try and keep Ink from ripping his arm off. Ink turns and smiles back at Dream as he pulls him back to their base/house in the DoodleSphere. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Wait... Dream, you liked my baby brother?” Cross turns to Dream standing right next to him. Dream shyly smiles with an embarrassed look.

“Well, I mean. Back then? Yeah. Not anymore, but it was kinda hard not to when the way we first met was pretty hot in a way.” Cross processes what Dream says before snorting out a laugh. Dream blushes and bangs his head on the wall as Cross laughs at him. “Crossy! Don’t laugh!”

“What? Why is he laughing?” Nightmare questions feeling a bit upset and Cross calms down. He turns to Nightmare while wiping his eye sockets.

“So we were there when Dream unfroze, right? Dream starts to fall, and Ink catches him. Which I can see being hot since the timing and the background was perfect. But then, Ink slips on his scarf and falls backward tumbling down the hill, pulling Dream with him. They ended up tangled together with Dream’s crown stuck somehow in Ink’s overalls.” Nightmare laughs before looking at Dream.

“Why must it always be the stupid ones that you fall for?” Cross yells out in offense as Dream blushes more. Killer and Error let out a noise of offense as well.

"Well, Night. You fell for him and us, so you also fall for stupid ones." Killer whispers to Nightmare and Nightmare’s cheeks flush before softly smacking Killer's arm.

“Hey! Let’s not pay attention to Nightmare's or my love life and focus on what… The hell is going on with Ink?!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Right, I've done everything right!” He spits out ink as he glares up at a group of creators. They run off and Bun-Bun comes to hug him. Ink falls to his knees before looking at Bun-Bun in anger. “So where's the karma, Bun? I've lost my patience.” 

“Ink, you need to-”

“Stop! Stop! Go away! I don’t need you here! All you do is bring bad luck, and pain to the Au’s and I don’t know why! You’re hurting this multiverse, so please just go away!” Bun-Bun only grits their teeth before stomping away to another tree. Ink sighs as his shoulders sag and he falls to the floor. He rubs his tired sockets before looking around.

"'Cause I've been so good, I've been working my ass off." He takes a small paintbrush and slowly starts to repaint the missing chunks of bones before sighing again. He looks around to see Liam frowning. They bend down and hug him tightly before pulling up their hood and walking away. "I've been so good, still, I'm lonely and stressed out." Ink waves goodbye as Liam leaves to settle issues with Napi. He sighs before moving back towards the tree. He rests against the trunk and holds broomie in his lap as he looks around. He sighs before doodling on the floor a small doodle of Error, Killer, and Nightmare. From a different rewrite. When they were a family with PJ. Then a stupid creator decided to hit the rewrite button and Ink lost it all. “I've been so good, I've been so good this year.” He smiles softly at it as he brushes his fingers over the doodle. He’s happy that Liam and a few other bunnies are giving them the chance to become friends to work out their issues and work together to keep the multiverse in balance. “And I've been so good, but it's still getting harder.” 

He blinks back from spacing out and looks at what he doodled before his breath hitches and he rushes into the multiverse. The others don’t get to see what he had doodled and if Ink knew that they were watching, he wouldn’t have let them. He makes his way back to the doodle sphere and smiles as he waves to Blue. The others look in surprise at this Blue. His armor is shined and his shoulders are covered with actual iron armor, outlined in a gold band. His under tank-top tucked into the belt holding his sword. His sword is an iron sword with a black leather handle. At the very end of the handle is a golden ring with a ruby in the middle. His grey pants are tucked into his navy blue boots. Over his kneecaps, he has silver and golden knee guards. His blue gloves reach up to his elbows and his blue scarf, not tied in a bow, flows behind him as he runs to Ink. Ink hugs him before walking into the house. Cross looks the same, but Dream looks different. _I've been so good, where the hell is the karma?_

Error immediately remembers this version of the Stars. He remembers how sad Ink was when the two were reset (more accurately, were rewritten), and how relieved but horrified Ink was when he told him that he remembered. He remembered how Ink told him to not act different, that no one else remembers the rewrites. 

The scene changes again and Ink smiles softly and lovingly back up at ()-!|\|. He takes his hand and lets him lead their dance. “I've been so good, I've been so good this year.” ()-!|\| smiles and twirls him on the grass before pulling Ink back into his chest.

“Yes, you have, Darling. You do your best and never stop trying your best.” Ink giggles as his magenta vial, laying in the grass glows brighter for a moment.

The screen flashes to a deserted Dreamtale. An inky portal appears and Ink and Cross hop out of it. Ink looks around before noticing the stump of the tree of feelings. They hurry over to see a stone Dream reaching out to nothing with wide empty eye sockets. Tears also stone. Ink gets close when Dream’s fingers twitch. Dream suddenly unfreezes and takes a deep breath in. Ink smiles and goes to introduce himself when Dream starts to rock on his heels. He slowly falls backward and Ink hurries to catch him. Dream blinks as Ink comes into focus as the sun starts to set to the left of them. Ink wipes Dream’s tears with his thumb and Dream struggles to breathe in his gay panic as Ink, concern written on his face, leans closer. He smiles softly when he realizes nothing is wrong before pulling Dream up out of the dip. 

As he starts to move backward to give Dream space, he steps on his scarf. He starts to fall backward and in his panic, he grabs onto the front of Dream’s shirt. Which leads to both of them tumbling down the hill. Ink and Dream keep bumping into each other on the way down. Cross looks down before sliding down the hill to see if they were okay. Ink laughs as he notices that Dream’s foot is tangled in his scarf. Ink’s arm is stuck between the buttons on the front of Dream’s shirt and out the collar of his shirt. Dream’s crown has somehow gotten attached to Ink’s overalls, causing Dream’s skull to be stuck close to where Ink’s ecto stomach would be. Dream blushes even more as Ink laughs and he tries to wiggle his way out before laughing as well. Ink only pulls the end of his scarf and they both fall away from each other into a bed of golden flowers. Ink blushes as he falls back into the flowers, and for a moment lets himself remember when this happened with ()-!|\|.

The screen flashes again and Ink is pulling Dream towards the Star Sans base. Lust struts out with a small smirk. He sticks a hand into the pockets of his hoodie and waves to Ink, Cross, and Dream as Blue runs towards them. He picks Ink up and twirls around as he yells how happy he is that the two brothers came back so soon. He yells about tacos, and Dream is left in confusion as Ink pats him on the back. Blue lets Ink go and then runs over to Cross for a quick hug before making his way to Dream. Lust laughs as Ink tries to walk straight after being spun around so many times. 

The screen flashes back to a dark grassy plain. Ink smiles up at ()-I|\|. Before standing up. ()-I|\| smiles as Ink slowly takes his mask off and lets it fall to the ground. He moves to hold Ink by the waist and Ink’s eye lights change to two pink hearts. Everyone’s attention is drawn to the brightly glowing magenta vial in Ink’s sash laying in the grass. Error, Killer, and Nightmare feel jealousy bubbling in their souls as he feels the amount of love rolling off of Ink’s soul. Not that they would know, but it’s still not more than what Ink feels with them. In the present time, remembering these moments bring more pain than joy, but at the moment when he’s been rewritten into the past, all he knows is ()-I|\|. To him, Error hasn’t been created just yet nor has Killer. And he's never met Nightmare yet either. ()-I|\| was the first Au he was allowed to meet and interact with.

Ink leans into ()-I|\|’s chest as they dance in the moonlight. Ink lets him lead the waltz before being dipped and kissed. Their silhouettes almost a midnight black against the milky white glow of the moon. Ink’s face glows with a rainbow of colors and faint rainbow freckles appear. Error smiles in adoration at Ink’s expression before noting that his freckles are more noticeable when Ink is with them and not as much as this other skeleton. The screen flashes once more.

 _I've been so good this year._ This time, the stars are having a picnic in a different Au. Blue places flower crowns on everyone. Ink’s is a rainbow of colors, Dream’s are light yellow almost white, and Cross’s is a mix of purple and red. Blue places his blue crown on his head with a smile. Unfortunately, Outer and Lust were not written as Stars in this rewrite. They start talking and laughing at each other. Ink’s attention is pulled away from the conversation as he stares at Dream. _I've been so good this year_. As Ink stares, Dream hides his laughter behind his hand. The image of ()-in flashes over Dream as he stares. The image flickers as Dream turns to Ink and smiles before laughing again. Ink smiles back before turning back to face front. 

Suddenly, he’s standing in front of Gin.

Gin smiles weakly as blood pours out of his mouth. Ink’s magenta and royal blue vials are glowing so much, and Ink brings a hand up to the royal blue before it shatters and the paint splatters over his clothes. The magenta follows soon after as Ink takes a shaky step forward.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Oh. That’s why Ink hasn’t introduced us. He’s recovering from an injury.” Blue’s smile shakes. 

He doesn’t want to think about the possibility of what could’ve happened. He knows what he just said isn't true, but he wants to pretend that his friend didn't go through the loss of a loved one. Even if it's just for a moment. Everyone else just freezes as they watch. Error’s and Killer's jealousy turns to regret and guilt as they feel the anguish roll off of Ink’s soul. Nightmare just hated being right about it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Time,” Ink rubs Gin’s knuckles as tears pour down his face. “I know we're out of time.” He tries to smile but he can’t as he chokes on sobs. 

“Ink, darling. It will be okay.” Gin smiles weakly as more cracks start to run down his skull.

“But what if sad thoughts come and I can't stop it?” Ink looks up at Gin as Gin guides him with his hand under Ink’s jaw. Ink’s eye lights hold no form as they swirl in compact circles in a bright navy blue. Gin sadly smiles at Ink.

“Bye-”

“I don't wanna say bye!” Ink latches onto Gin. He throws his arms around Gin’s neck and holds him close as he cries harder. Gin holds his laughter in for two reasons. It’s an emotional moment for them, but he wants to laugh because Ink had jumped onto Gin because he’s so short, but it would hurt more to laugh, so he didn’t.

“You’ll always hold me in your pocket.” Gin smiles as he tucks his mask into Ink’s waist pocket. Ink chuckles wetly before burying his face deeper into Gin’s neck. 

“Gin, please. Don’t leave me so hollow.” Ink’s voice is thick with pain and grief as he closes his eye sockets. “Please just let me save you, just promise tomorrow!” Gin sadly smiles as he holds Ink closer. 

“You’ll be ripped apart and fracture your elbow.” He doesn’t want Ink to tear himself apart just for him to live one more day. He wants Ink to live. He knows Ink will move on, but not forget him. Ink is strong, and Gin knows Ink can pull through his death.

“But doesn't that mean that you’re gonna live though?” Gin holds Ink closer as his knees become weaker and they fall to the ground. Gin makes sure that only he hits the ground as Ink cries. Tears start to collect in Gin’s sockets as he holds his tiny lover.

“I tried to explain that your efforts would be in vain.” Ink chuckles through his tears. They’ve had this talk a hundred times, and he always says the same thing.

“But after an hour, to me, it sounds like complaining.” Gin’s chuckle becomes a murmur as his skull starts to chip apart. Soon, he’s starting to dust in Ink’s arms. Ink notices and tries to hold him closer and tighter.

“Wait don't go away! Can you stay with me forever?” 

Gin softly exhales as he dusts, leaving his jacket and necklace behind. His dust slips through Ink’s hands and fingers. Ink stares blankly at the space ahead of him as tears trace his face. Everyone in the room’s eye sockets widens in horror and sorrow as Ink sits there with the dust of his lover all over him. They watch as Ink’s small frame scrunches before letting out a pain-filled wail. 

Leo can only turn and bury his face into Grillby’s chest as Ink wails. He knows the pain of losing your lover in your arms. He knows the sound of that wail. It's the one he has made four times. Once when Sirius dusted in his arms. Twice when he lost his baby girl before she could even see the world. Thrice when he held his lover as his flames died out and he dusted. And the fourth was when the sharpened bone shot at him pierced his second child's soul instead of his own. Even if he can’t move much, he holds Grillby’s shirt tightly as he tries so hard to muffle his wails. Grillby tightly holds Leo to his chest as he tries to calm him and suppress the build-up of magic in Leo. 

Ink is quickly pushed out of the Au by the inhabitants before it starts to collapse. Ink holds the jacket, necklace, and mask close to him as he floats there with his loud sobs echoing throughout the space of the multiverse. Fresh comes over with Sona and they comfort Ink before he crumbles into a puddle of ink. They wait for him to come back. Ink turns to Sona with a hurt expression.

“You say that I'm better, why don't I feel better?” Sona only presses his mouth into a thin line before hugging his friend. Fresh joins the hug before pulling away to put Gin’s necklace in the safe pocket of the multiverse space. No one else knew where this is, or that this would be the place that someone would be found someday soon. 

“The universe works in mysterious ways-”

“But I'm starting to think it ain't working for me.” Fresh only sighs before adjusting his shades. They change from ‘YOLO’ to ‘Wut do we do now?’ Sona shrugs as they turn to look at Ink’s figure as he walks away. “Gin, should I be good?” He hears the faint call of his name with the sound of someone banging on the glass. “Should I be good this year?” He turns to face the window holding his friends with wide eye sockets. He gasps before the illusion falls and he tries to overwrite the rewrite. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ink!”

“What’s happening to him?”

“Hold on little bro! I just need to get out of here!”

“Cross wait! We already tried that!”

“Kiki! Leave my Kiki alone!” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ink struggles in the red strings holding him in one place. He looks around as he struggles to free himself. He considers dislocating his thumbs to escape the braided string cuffs over his wrists. The others notice that Ink’s outfit isn’t the same. Not that they would know, but the moment that Ink stepped into the multiverse for good, he became susceptible to resets/rewrites (he will always call it a reset for simplicity). The only place he could escape being rewritten or have others escape the effects of a rewrite is his secret space. The safe pocket of the multiverse. This is the rewrite where Ink, Dream, and Blue were the only three Stars. Where they were less light-hearted and sharper when it came to battle. He grunts as he looks around. 

“Blue?! Dream?!” Everyone notices the small difference in his voice compared to what they have grown used to. Ink cranes his head to see Bun-Bun walking towards him. His face lights up. “Ah! Bun! Perfect timing! I need you to help un- WOAH!” Ink tries to stay stable as Bun-Bun shoves him to the side with an angle, causing him to swing back and forth while spinning. As he slows down he tries to look at Bun-Bun. “Erm- Bani. I didn’t need to be pushed. I only asked for help.” 

Everyone’s jaw drops. Bun-Bun the bunny is Kitsune? How? Why? What? No one can answer any question as they realize why Ink looked so betrayed earlier. One of the only creators that treated him nicely, after ‘he’ ripped his soul apart, was the one hurting him the most. Not that they would ever know the truth. He didn’t want to let the others know the truth, not about his past and not about who did it. Ink stares at Bani before noticing the double masks they wear. He gasps as Bani removes the bunny mask to reveal the mask of Kitsune. They walk back over to Ink and rest their hands on their hips, it’s only then that Ink realizes that there is an audience. He recognizes his friends and realizes that there must have been another reset. Ink’s attention is snapped back to Bani as he feels their hand under his jaw.

“My boy’s bein’ sus, he was shady enough.” They tut as they shake their head. They turn to walk away as Ink struggles more in the strings. He wants answers. Now. “But now he’s just a shadow.” Bani looks over their shoulder at Ink before scoffing and walking over to an Au. It’s more than halfway burnt and covered with a golden and magenta sphere. The lock is one that no lockpicker can ever dream to get right. The only key for it is in the locket under Ink’s shirt. 

The one in Bani’s hands.

“My boy should love his friends like I love my split ends.” Ink arches an eyebrow ridge as Bani unlocks the Au. “And by that I mean,” Bani brings their other hand to the strings holding the Au in place, noticing the surrounding green strings spun around the original string. They smile as Ink’s eye sockets widen in horror at the revealing scissors; “he should cut them off.” With one snip, the strings are cut and the Au burns up to ash and dust. Everyone watches in horror as the dust and ash blow by the window. 

“No!” Ink cries out as he struggles more. As he struggles, he uses that time to dislocate his thumbs and get out of the cuffs. He keeps his hands behind his back to give the illusion of them still being cuffed. Kitsune smirks as they softly trot back over to Ink. 

“My boy, my toy, my boy.” They grab his face and as the light hits the mask, it gives the illusion of a pout. Ink glares up at them with a red target eye light and a purple dot eye light. “He doesn’t love me as he promised.” They sigh softly as they shake their head. “My toy, my boy, my toy.” Their grip on his face tightens and he barely winces at it as Bani scoffs before letting go. They walk towards the window but stop halfway. “He ain't a man and sure as hell ain't honest.” Everyone else is confused as Ink struggles again. Kitsune watches in amusement from over their shoulder. They wave their hand as they face back to the others. “My boy’s bein’ sus, and he doesn’t know how to cuss.” They chuckle as they sit on their strings facing the space between Ink and the others. “He just sounds like he’s tryna be his creator.” A different creator appears wearing a yellow fox mask. Their arms are crossed over their chest as they look over towards Bani and Ink.

“Who are you?” Their tone is harsh before they fade away. Bani’s mask seems to smile in euphoria at the other’s faces. Ink looks away in anger at his creator and Bani. 

“My boy’s an ugly crier but he’s such a pretty liar.” Bani turns to face Ink. They shake their head at him. “By that, I mean he said he’d changed.” The others or confused but Ink’s eye sockets gain small beads of tears in the corners. He hated that he was so naive at the start. How he promised to never interfere with the other Aus. How he had to lie to say that he wasn’t trying to save Gin. How he had to lie about falling for the same three no matter what they would try to rewrite. He would never regret it. 

Never.

“My toy, my toy, my toy. He doesn’t love me like he promised.” They huff as they lean back with a hand over their forehead. They exaggerate the pose before looking back at Ink. “My toy, my toy, my toy. He ain't a man and sure as hell ain't honest.” Bani laughs as Ink starts to glitch out. He’s trying to find the right rewrite he belongs to. He struggles more in the strings, using his free hands to pick at the strings and untangle them so then it’s easier to break. He grunts as he continues to struggle.

“My toy! My-my toy!” 

“My friends!” Ink continues to struggle as Bani spins him around. He throws up some ink as his magic struggles in what to do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ink!” 

Cross bangs on the glass as he watches Ink struggle. Blue and Dream can only growl as Bani makes it harder for him to get out of the strings. Nightmare studies what’s happening to Ink as Killer holds Error by the arm. The two of them try to calm Ink’s soul with waves of familiar magic. Ink’s soul continues to shake and pulse with pain and confusion. Sage holds onto Green as Green tries to keep her from looking. Leo tries again to grab his spear, but the building magic keeps him pinned to Grillby’s chest. Even if he could grab his spear, he wouldn’t be able to throw it. His build-up of magic is making him too weak. Grillby notices and just holds him closer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“My toy, my toy, my toy!” Ink flinches out of fighting the rewrite as Bani holds his jaw tightly in one hand. The soft creaking sound alarms the others that Ink’s jaw is going to crack or snap. Ink whimpers softly as Kitsune gets closer to his face. “You don't love me like you promised. My toy, my toy, my toy.” Kitsune pushes Ink away causing him to start swinging harshly. “He ain't a man and sure as hell ain't honest.”

Kitsune starts to walk away towards the window and Ink spits out some stray ink as he slows down. 

“You want me to be yours?” Kitsune stops and turns to look over at Ink. He finally gets the last few strings thin enough to snap. “Well, then you gotta be kind.” He snaps the strings and lands on the floor. “And if you want a good ‘toy’, then goodbye.” He looks up and his eye sockets widen.

“You want me to be yours? Well, then you gotta be mine.” Kitsune smirks as they hold Dream and Blue up by the back of their outfits. They kick and try to fight but can’t and Ink calls out to them. “And if I want a good toy, then say goodbye.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“No! Dream!” Nightmare bangs on the glass. Cross joins him and everyone else’s eye sockets widen. No one saw Bani grab them. Dust hurries to the glass.

“Blue!” 

Error and Killer look up from Ink’s soul and Killer holds Ink’s soul close as Error goes to Nightmare.

“Give them back! Give my twin back!” Nightmare bangs more on the glass as Error places a hand on his back. In his worry, some of the inky goop starts to leak out of his left eye socket.

“Night, we have to calm down for now. I know I haven’t been the calmest, but they’re with Ink. Ink seems to know what to do so I’m sure that he’ll be able to protect Dream and Blue.”

“What about what happened last time Dream was in there?! He got hurt! A-and Ink's been getting hurt every time we see him!” Nightmare turns to face Error, panic making more goop start to spill down his face. Normally, he can control it, but now in his panic, he's losing his grip on it.

“Nightmare. I know that we aren’t on the best terms.” Sage walks over to him. “I still haven’t fully forgiven you for **_that_**. But still. If they get hurt, I can heal them.” Sage rubs her hands against the torn edges of her dress. Nightmare turns to her.

“Thank you.” He goes to hug her but she moves out of the way, noticeably nervous. 

“‘Ey, don’t worry about it. Just… Don’t touch me.” She nods stiffly at him with a forced smile and makes her way back to Green. Nightmare lets Error lead him back to Killer and they all gather around Ink’s soul as if they were to protect it from something they could see. Cross and Dust also sit back down as smoke fills the screen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ink?!” Blue cups his hands to his mouth as he looks around. Dream stands up as well and looks around.

“Ink?! Where are you?!” Dream squints as he looks around. “Look! Blue I think I see him!” Dream points to figure not too far from them. Blue starts to run towards him, only to be stopped when Ink, not from their rewrite, comes up from behind them and wraps his arms around their shoulders. 

“Pay no attention.” His voice is low as he guides them in the other direction. He looks over his shoulder at the figure as they walk. “To the man behind the curtain.” 

To everyone’s surprise, Dream and Blue have to look up at Ink. They notice one of his eye lights is a white cat-like pupil. While the other is a blood-red target. Going from his eye sockets are two thick green lines leading down to the bottom of his jaw. His outfit is a bit more figure-fitting. And again, to everyone’s surprise, the dark grey ‘sleeves’ on his forearms are his actual bones. His overalls aren’t as baggy, and on his wrists are cloth wraps. Dream blinks, he’s never seen Ink like this, and neither has Blue. They make eye contact and shrug as Ink lets go of them. Ink continues forward with a glare on his face and his skull down. The window follows them, but the glass changed to one-way glass. 

“He's a brainless, heartless, coward. With no power.” Ink looks over his shoulder to see Blue and Dream walking towards another figure. Ink grabs them by their capes and holds them under his arms. “That's just another trick of his. He ain't no wiz.” Ink looks up and everyone else is confused why he stopped walking until he puts Dream and Blue down. He brings his hands up to his face, like Error would, and pulls away thick light green strings. He wraps them around Dream and Blue. “Don't fear his fire.” He smirks at them and they look at him in fear and confusion. This is their friend, he wouldn’t hurt them…

Right?

“Jump in my balloon, I'll take you higher.” Ink spreads his stance before flinging Dream and Blue into the air. The others cry out as Dream and Blue yelp before landing in a loosely woven green basket. "Take you somewhere over the rainbow." Ink chuckles before shooting himself into the basket as well. He grabs ahold of certain strings and starts to pull them, causing the basket to go higher into the air. "Just like old times, am I right?" Ink continues to pull them up and misses the confused looks of his friends. Dream and Blue have no idea what he's talking about, Ink's never done this before. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Kiki has strings. I'm never going to get over that." Error brings a hand to his tear track stains. Killer looks at Inks soul as it pulses out the feeling of nostalgia and seriousness. Nightmare places a hand on Error's shoulder. 

"They are really pretty, just like your strings." Nightmare comments.

Killer blushes as he whispers something only he could hear. Unfortunately for Killer, due to the weird nature of Ink's soul, Ink heard it. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ink blushes softly as he hears Killer voice a comment. He blinks once, that shouldn't have happened. Yes, he always falls for those three idiots, but he doesn't have a soul... right? So he shouldn't feel anything right now... Not the time to think about it. He has to get these two versions of his friends back to wherever they came from. He ties a knot in the strings before focusing on changing the color of the strings. He changes the color to match the blood-red color of the other strings to hide from Bani. "Get your ticket to the show, Heels click, and here we go." He looks up at them and they stare at him. He smiles at them. "Cuz you already know." He turns his attention to Dream. "There's no place like-"

"Home." The ghost of a rewritten Dream comes forward. Ink smiles at his version of Dream. Everyone else gaps in surprise. Dream blinks in surprise, he's unsure of what exactly just happened. Ink turns to Blue.

"There's no place like-"

"Home." Blue falls back a little in shock at the ghost of a rewritten Blue. The others look at Blue in shock and Ink chuckles. Ink sticks out a hand.

"There's no place like-"

"Home." The two ghosts call at the same time. The shroud Blue and Dream before taking control of their bodies. Blue's eye lights become a darker blue and Dream's become a beautiful golden. They look at the bodies they're in and look back at Ink. Ink smiles at them.

"There's no place like-" Ink cuts himself off to peer over the edge of the basket. He notices Bani looking around below them and his eye sockets widen before he ducks back down. 

"COME OUT AND FACE ME!"

Ink chuckles softly as he notices his friends leave. Leaving this version of Ink alone with these different rewrites of his friends. "There's no place like home." He places a hand on his knee as he looks at the two of them. "It's where the heart is. Some brainiacs will tell you 'home is where your house and car is.'" He scoffs as he looks over his shoulder towards the window.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Uh. Is it just me, or is Ink looking at us?" Dust comments as Ink seemingly stares directly at him, but his eye lights move as if they were searching for something. Cross notices as well. 

"I'm not sure..." Nightmare waves his hand and Ink's attention snaps towards Nightmare's direction, he's off by a few centimeters, but it gets the point across. Nightmare puts his hand down. "Yep, he can somewhat see us."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 _There's a window_ _there._ Ink chuckles as he notices a small reflection of the basket's movements. It couldn't be the strings, because it was at the same moment, so either a mirror- which didn't seem likely knowing Bani- or a window made with special one-way glass. Ink turns back to Dream and Blue, who seem to be trying to see what Ink's looking at. "But if you're brave enough to love the ones you hate the hardest." He smiles at the thought of Error, Nightmare, and Killer. His smile becomes a bittersweet one as he remembers the one rewrite that they had a family. Only a pair of twins at the moment, but they were happy. "You might find home." He looks back over at the window as he remembers waking up from his nap in his safe pocket, alone. He remembers looking at his outfit and crying as he realizes another rewrite happened. So they weren't together yet, and Paperjam and Stain were taken away. If he squints, he can make out the people on the other side of the window, but he chooses not to. He turns his attention to Dream and Blue again. They stare at Ink in confusion.

"'You might find home?'"

Ink turns to face Dream and holds Dream's hands in his. "Cause sometimes, home is where your deepest scar is." Dream looks away and Ink turns to Blue. "Society will try to cast you where they think your part is." Ink waves his hand above Blue, and the name: SwapSans, appears above him. Blue looks away in pain. Only for his attention to be grabbed again when Ink takes the name and rips it apart. He lets the ink fall back into his hand. No matter which reset or rewrite his friends go through, the core of their stories stays the same. Blue is no longer Swap. Swap is the replacement for Blue when he ran away from his Au. Ink leans back and looks off to the side. "Give awards and accolades to what they think a star is." He leans forward as he remembers that he needs to get them home. He creates more strings and pulls Dream onto his knees. He starts to weave the strings into a harness on Dream. "But go find your home." He turns to Blue and does the same. They sit in confusion as Ink takes strings with both hands he starts to create beautiful patterns with both hands before clapping them together to reveal strong, thick, green ropes. "Go find your home." He ties them to the harnesses and drops a wall on the basket. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What's Ink planning?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Pay no attention to the lies, they’ll try to feed you!" With that last warning, he pushes them off the side of the basket. Dream and Blue get ready to roll into a run. Once they're close enough to the ground, Ink cuts the ropes. Dream and Blue tumble into a roll before starting to run. They trust that Ink pushed them in the direction of the window. "It's a wicked, twisted fable!" Ink falls to the ground before pulling more strings to form two green whips. He stares in anger, and so does everyone else in horror, at Bani leading a group of Kitsune towards the Stars. Ink cracks a whip against the floor before preparing to stall for time. "They're not stable!"

Dream and Blue keep running towards what they guess is the window. They see their own reflection and run towards it, even if it's still far away. Ink cracks his whips at the Kitsunes. Causing them to fall back as he starts to hurry towards his friends. "It's just another box of tricks a crock of shit and good dreams go wasted!" He spins around and continues to attack with his whips. He looks over his shoulder to see a Kitsune getting close to Dream and Blue. "Hoping for the fame, don't let him taste it!" He turns back around with a spin kick and wraps his whip around the Kitsune. "He's been stealing dreams." He grunts in the effort as he uses his whip to throw the Kitsune at the group and Bani. He then drops the other one before running to Dream and Blue who, due to now being short than Ink, hasn't made it very far. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"That's it! Come on, Ink!"

"You're doing good!"

"You're almost home, Kiki!"

Killer and Nightmare smile at the thought of Ink coming home to them. As he said, to them, home isn't a building that has a key. It's themselves. It's a family. It's love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Nine to five, Monday to Friday." Ink grumbles under his breath. Blue and Dream don't seem to hear what he said though.

He hates how often they try to get into the Multiverse. How often they still try to come in and change or delete his friends. He hates it. That's why he has to always check the lock on the Multiverse tree. No one in, no one out. There haven't been any rewrites since he locked it. Meaning no creators other than him and Liam, who stays outside to guard it, can change anything. No one can delete his friends. He knows what happened to Dream and Nightmare in the original Multiverse, and he happily died for two months to stop it from happening in this Multiverse. 

"I'mma tell the story my way." He starts to slow down as an idea hits him. "Cause the only way home... Ain't on this yellow brick highway." He puts Dream and Blue down. He thinks for a moment. "I have an idea. There isn't enough time to explain, but do you trust me?" Dream and Blue look at each other before nodding at Ink. _**There's no place like home.** _

"We trust you." Ink smiles.

"Good. Now, hold onto the rope until you think you can be ready to fall into a roll."

Ink quickly makes more rope. He ties it to Blue's harness and secures it. He grabs his end of the rope and Blue grabs onto it tightly. He seems to get the idea and nods to Ink. He jumps as high as he can. _**There's no place like home!**_ Ink then starts to spin the rope. He holds it above his head as he spins it around and around. Blue curls around the rope as much as he can before yelling 'okay' to Ink. Ink nods before letting go of the rope. Sending Blue flying in the direction of the window. He uncurls and quickly unties the rope. He gets ready as he gets closer to the ground. _**There's no place like home!**_ He falls into a roll and rolls until he loses some of the speed. He stops rolling to give a thumbs up to Ink.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What's he doing- OH MY GOD, HE JUST THREW BLUE!"

"What the- OH GOD! INK'S GOING TO DO THE SAME TO DREAM!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ink ties Dream's rope and nods to him. Dream nods back before jumping into the air. Due to Dream being just a little heavier than Blue, Ink has to spin him more to build up more momentum. Dream curls around his rope as much as he can, like Blue did. As soon as he's ready, he calls out to Ink, and Ink nods. He spins Dream two more times before letting him go. _**There's no place like-**_ Dream goes flying and quickly unties his rope. He gets ready to fall into a roll when Blue moves to catch him. Blue catches him, but skids backward a little due to the force of impact. Dream smiles and thanks him before realizing that they're right in front of the window. _**We're straight outta Oz!**_ He smiles and the others smile back at him. He turns around to call Ink, who waited to make sure that they were okay, before crying out a warning. Ink's eye sockets widen before he turns around. _**There's no place like-**_ He brings his hands up to his face to gather more strings to create another two whips. Only to be caught by surprise. Bani holds him by the vertebrae of his neck in the air.

"If you're lost out there in the night!" They pull him closer to them as they smile at him. Ink brings his hands up to Bani's wrist, trying to pull it off of his neck. "Wishing on stars?! Wonder who you are-"

"Just know that you're never alone!" Ink's attention is drawn to Blue, who's lowering his hands from his mouth with a worried frown. They're too far away to get there and help Ink.

"And there's no place like home!" Dream cries out to Ink as the window before two-way again.

He sees his friends, his brother, and his lovers. How the three all stand together as if they're protecting his soul. How they seem to be calling for him to come back home. How much his soul seems to be yearning to go back to them. Suddenly, he becomes short again. He reverts to the right rewrite. The right reset. He grits his teeth as he turns his attention back to Bani, who seems to be angry at his friends. He pulls his hand back and punches Bani right in the center of the mask. Bani lets go of Ink and falls backward. Ink falls forward onto Bani's stomach.

"And I'm gon' fight!" He punches Bani on the side of the mask again. 

And he punches again.

He punches them again.

Over and over again on the mask. "And I'm gon' cry!" He tears up as he remembers the small black boned skeletons in his arms reaching up and grabbing his finger for the first time. He remembers the laugh of Gin. The grief then turns to anger and vengeance. Bani is the one who led the others to make more rewrites. How they laughed at Ink when he lost Gin. How they were the cause of losing Pj and Stain. How no one else remembers them. How could he possibly spare them? He's been waiting for this moment. "And I'm gon' fight for them until I die!"

He continues to punch Bani in the mask until it's barely able to stay together. He wants so badly to end this. He stares into Bani's eyes and sees nothing but fear and anger, but Bani only sees grief turned to vengeance, and no mercy left for them. Ink stops punching them as he spits on their mask before standing up. He makes sure to stand over them.

"Right there is right where you belong!" He raises his leg into the air. He raises it perpendicular to the ground. He grits his teeth as he glares down at Bani. Bani flinches at the glare and weary of the foot. One kick to the mask is enough to shatter it. Enough to kill them. "And there's no place like home!"

Ink swings his leg down as hard as he can onto Bani's chest. The resounding crack lets everyone know that Ink broke the sternum and probably a few ribs. Ink glares harder as he increases the pressure of his foot as he glares down at Bani. Bani lays there in shock, barely breathing from the force of the kick.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Holy shit. Remind me to never fully piss of Ink." Dust pales at the damage Ink has done to Bani. Not that they can see their face, but the amount of damage Ink did to the ground under Bani's body from the kick and the few punches that missed their target. Sage giggles to herself and Dust turns to her. "What's so funny?"

"It's just that you're scared of Ink because of the strength of his kick. But you aren't scared that Lust can kick your pelvis so hard that you wouldn't be able to form an ecto body for a few weeks, but then treat you like nothing happened." Dust pales even more and Cross turns to her with wide eye sockets. 

"And how do you know this?"

"I mean... I should know." Sage opens her eyes to reveal pinprick eye lights and a crazed smile paints her face. "I am the one who taught him. And Dust. I hope you haven't forgotten that you're dead once we're out of here. Green filled me in." Dust's eye lights go out and he moves away from Sage and closer to Cross who also seems fearful of the short skeleton. Green pats Sage on the skull. Leo beams in pride at his youngest cub and Grillby sweat drops.

"Okay, Sage. I think that's enough. They're already scared enough, no need to make them more scared." Sage only smiles softly and nods at Green before leaning into his side. Dust only looks away from them towards the glass again. Although, it seems that the three of them didn't hear what was going on.

Killer stares at Ink before leaning closer to Error and Nightmare. "Christ Almighty. Is it bad that I want Ink to step on me like that but without the kick or force? Or that I find it hot how flexible he is?" Nightmare shakes his head as his purple blush grows. He momentarily loses control and almost becomes a goopy mess again. 

"I mean... You aren't the only one." Error mumbles back to him and coughs into his hand as he looks away. Again, due to the uniqueness of Ink's soul, he heard what the two of them said. And blushes as he makes his way over to his friends.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 ** _The storm is strong_**. Ink smiles as he waves at the others on the inside. He brings his hands to the glass and starts to search for something. **_But it won't be long_**. His eye lights change to an exclamation mark and a sun as he finds what he was looking for. He brings his hands together before pulling the glass apart. As he pulls at it, it becomes more of a putty substance. He holds it open for Dream and Blue. **_And no matter where you roam..._** Blue runs to Dust, who clings to him tightly. As Dream runs to Cross, Cross hugs him tightly as Dream buries his face into the crook of Cross's neck. **_There's no place like home._** Ink walks through and smiles at his lovers before taking his soul back. He puts it right where it belongs and then laughs as he throws himself at them. He holds them close.

"Miss me?" The only response he gets is a tighter hug.

Leo sits up in Grillby's lap, which is as much as he can do right now and smiles at them. Grillby smiles at them as well as he holds Leo close. He's glad that he was able to suppress Leo's build-up of magic enough to let him gain this much strength. Leo's still too weak to do much else but he knows he's safe in Grillby's arms. Sage smiles that no one is hurt before glaring at Dust once more. Green only chuckles before patting her on the head. It's enough to calm her into forgetting her grudge for a few more head pats. These are the only touches she never had an issue with, so she'll do anything for them. Green chuckles more as Dust shoots him a grateful look. Ink holds Nightmare, Error, and Killer tighter before looking at Killer.

"Now what's this about me stepping on you?" Killer's face burns with embarrassment as the other two laughs. 

"Hah. You think- gah!- that you can get rid of that quickly?!" Ink sits up and glares at the window.

"Leave. N O W. I gave you mercy one too many times. D O N O T M A K E M E **R E G R E T I T**." Bani flinches back from Ink's tone before standing in defiance. 

"I -hah- am a god, you filthy sketch! I *gulp* am above you!" Ink stands up.

" **Bani. This is your last warning. L E A V E B E F O R E I B R E A K Y O U R F U C K I N G M A S K**." Everyone shivers from Ink's tone as he starts to push his hands through the glass. Bani stumbles backward and brings a hand to protect their mask before chuckling. 

"You don't scare me, sketch. As I said. I am a god!" They pull something out of their back pocket. "A god with back up."

Ink's eye sockets widen. "You didn't. You wouldn't! You have no idea what that would do to this multiverse!" He quickly pulls himself back into the room and steps away from the glass. Bani chuckles.

"I do know. It will give me control! Or at least enough to have fun in this multiverse."

"You have no idea what you're doing!"

"SHUT UP!" Their scream shakes the room and Ink falls back. Error, Killer, and Nightmare catch him. "I do know what I'm doing! Now. Say hello to _**my**_ Star Sanses." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it! And yes, I did leave it at a cliff hanger =)


	14. A tainted thought creates Tainted ink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poison (Thanks for Nothing) - Jayn  
> Panic Room - Au/Ra  
> Housewife Radio - Ghost and Pals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my stars, this, I think, is the longest chapter so far. It ended up being around 15,737 words. Also, I heard about what happened with Underswap's creator. I am disappointed, but then I look back and I did make Blue, yes it isn't Swap, more like Fannon than Cannon. So, while Swap is in Underswap as Blue's replacement, I am changing his story a little. So now, basically Blue was the original Swap but wanted to be free in the multiverse, so he became Blue. Allowing himself to be a little more childish, but I am changing him to act a little more serious than before. So there's that. I really tried. I hope you enjoy it!

Ink grits his teeth as he seethes in anger. “Bani! Just accept defeat! You can’t do this! You don’t know the consequences of having more than one Star Sans team in a multiverse!”

Bani lets out an insane chuckle as they hold the paper close to their chest. They stagger off to the side before staring directly at Ink. “Oh, I do! I love the chaos! It would be entertaining to watch! A fun game to me, you are all the game pieces and I am the player! I’ll have fun watching you tear each other apart!” They grit their teeth as they narrow their eyes at them. “Everything will be the way **_I_ ** want it to be!” They smile as they stare at Ink and Dream. “Pairings the way I want them to be! Stories the way I want them to be! They will be correct, and none of this bad with the good! Good should fight for their love, hold them close. Preserve them, and make sure that no one else can have them. Even if they have to use underhanded tactics.” Bani coos as they continue to stare at Dream and Ink. The two of them look between each other before looking back at Bani.

“What do you mean?” Bani turns to Dream. 

“Dreamy~ I noticed your crush on my favorite toy.” Bani coos as they step closer towards the window and Ink pushes Dream behind him before getting into a protective stance. He may not have his Broomie, but he knows how to fight without it. “I noticed it in multiple multiverses. I was pissed at other creators. They didn’t step in. Not when Error started dating Ink. Not when almost every other fucking multiverse had Ink dating those, foul, abominations!” Ink growls at Bani. “They either encouraged it or they just let them be! That isn’t right! I wanted Dream with Ink! I want it! I want it! I WANT IT!” 

They stomp their foot on the ground and everyone stares at them in disgust. This was an all-powerful creator? Most believed them to be… Kind, hurting, trying, patient, brave, true, proud, and maybe somewhat bad. But this? They’re acting like a spoiled child. One throwing a tantrum about not getting what they wanted. Oppressive as well. No wonder Ink turned his back on them a while ago. Ink glares at them with a hatred none of them have seen. Dream stumbles back, yes he **_liked_ ** Ink, but he was happy that Ink could make the other three the happiest he’s seen them. Yes, it hurt, but he **_willingly_** stepped aside to see the four of them the happiest they’ve ever been. The happiest his brother has ever been. He would never try and “fix” what was never broken. Dream continues to stumble back as thoughts and questions fill his head until he falls and Cross catches him and holds him close. Bani stares and growls.

“No! That’s all wrong! I want Dream and Ink together! Ink belongs to Dream! That’s how it’s supposed to be! I will have it be that way! This multiverse is trash!” They look back at the paper. “But it’s okay. I can fix it! I helped this Dream get their Ink. Even if it meant he had to rip him apart. I helped him put Ink back together into the best pet he could be! All it took was Dream’s faith in me!” Dream looks ready to throw up along with everyone else. Pet? They turn to the paper as they hear a faint familiar wail of pain. Bani growls. “Be quiet! I helped all of you! I made sure that everyone belongs to who they were supposed to! Dream and Ink! Blue and Lust!” Sage growls lowly with a glare promising death at the mention of Lust. “Error, Nightmare, and Killer can all be together I guess. But there is perfection in their stories now! Even if it did corrupt them-”

“You W H A T. **Bani, tell me that you did not taint those Stars.** ” Bani only giggles. 

“I can be in control and play with my toys here!” They grab onto Ink’s soul and everyone gasps as they start to pull him towards the window as they draw closer. “I can show you what you’re missing!” Nightmare, Killer, and Error all grab onto Ink. “And then! I can make it a reality if I merge it with the code!” The others hurry to help hold Ink. They slow the pull as much as they can, causing only half of Ink to be through the glass. “All I need is some of your code to show them! And then, I can merge the rest! And if you won’t give it, then I’ll just take it!” 

Ink lets out a whimper as Bani gets closer, he can’t struggle unless he wants to kick one of his friends. They continue to pull Ink back into the room as much as they can. And it starts to work before Ink looks back at Bani to notice them holding the paper to his face. With a flash, everyone falls backward as they pull Ink back inside. The screen goes black as Ink falls to the ground with a thud. He doesn’t move and everyone looks around before noticing Ink.

“Ink!/Kiki/Inky/Bro!” Error gets to him first and gently shakes Ink’s shoulder. “Kiki?”

Ink doesn’t respond.

“Bro?” Cross takes a small step forward. It only then does everyone see that Ink’s body is becoming ink once more. Cross’s breath hitches. “Error, take Ink’s soul out of his body now!” 

Error does without question as the rest of Ink’s body collapses into a puddle. It’s not that his soul could shatter. Even if it did, there would be a reset back to Error and Ink’s last save point. But, Ink forgot to save recently. Even then, Cross and Reaper have been more on the cautious side of doing anything when it comes to Ink’s soul. Even if he watched Ink change some of his code to make sure his soul doesn’t shatter even if he dies, he’ll always be careful. Everyone is silent for a moment before the ink starts to take form again. The inky body tries to stand, ready to fight, only to sway to the side. 

“I gotcha.” Killer catches Ink as his body becomes solid. 

Ink smiles at him as Error places Ink’s soul right where it belongs. They smile before hearing a thud behind them. They all turn to see Liam’s beaten body behind them. Liam coughs up blood before chains come rushing towards them. In a blink, the chains are bound tightly around Liam.

“I can help!” Sage creates two very thin but strong bone attacks. One of them is hooked at the tip. 

“Woah. How did you create those?” Sage crouches in front of a lock and places them inside, ready to pick the lock. Her expression darkens. 

“I’ve had practice.” She starts to pick the lock until Liam’s muffled screams to stop cause her to stop. A moment too late though. She makes one mistake and suddenly she’s shocked. She screams out as her eye lights go out. “Don’t! DON’T. DON’T. NO! NO! NO TOUCH! NO TOUCH! OFF! OFF! DON’T TOUCH! NO ME!” No one other than creators know, but the shocks also make them relieve their worst moments. One of the reasons most creators stop immediately after feeling the first shock. She lets go of her tools as she falls back. Liam cries harder. Blue runs over to her and right before he can touch her, Green shouts.

“DON’T TOUCH HER!”

“But she-” A spear goes flying and only pushes Blue’s hand away more. Everyone turns to Leo, sweating and barely strong enough to hold himself up as Grillby supports him.

“Don’t. Unfortunately, she has to say the okay with touches. Alright? Unless she trusts you completely, you must wait for permission.” Blue nods slowly and in understanding. He may not know her story, but he can piece together why this rule is in place. “I’m sorry Blue. We know you mean well, but right now isn’t the best time. Could you please step away?” Blue nods and steps away with his hands visible to everyone. Sage shoots up and whines before crawling as fast as she can to Leo and holding him close.

“bad. touch. no touch. no more-” Leo wraps his arms around her and starts to soothe her, and Liam turns to Ink. They make eye contact and hold a silent conversation.

“Liam, no! That’ll take all your energy. We don’t even know how long you’ll be out for!” Liam only shakes their head before transforming Leo, Sage, Grillby, and Green into plushies. The others shout in confusion and worry before Liam’s eyes roll back into their head and they fall backward. “Liam… Liam did that for protection.” He can feel the question burning into his bones. “Every solo creator can turn their creations into plushies. But only the ones they made. Whether for taking them anywhere to work on or just for protection.” Ink sits up and glares at the laughing Bani. Bani coos back at him.

"Is the toy upset that Liam passed out?" They giggle before pulling into view a handful of plushies of their own. One of Ink. One of Dream. Blue. Lust. Cross. Nightmare. Error. Dust. Killer. All hanging by the strings wrapped around their throats. "Look, look. It worked, Sketch. I have my toys now." 

The Ink doll is tossed close to the window before a flash of light causes everyone to look away. They look back to see an Ink on all fours. He looks up and only one eye light is visible and it’s a white dot in his right eye socket. A long crack going up the left side of his skull. His scarf is missing, replaced with a black collar. On the collar is a golden dog tag with the engraved message of Property of Lord Shattered. His sleeves are shredded, only covering half of his humerus on both arms. His shirt is covered by many layers of shawls to protect him from the cold. With a hood that has wolf ears. It covers most of Ink’s skull and one of the ears twitch. Its purpose is to make up for the lost eye. Both the hood and the shawls are covered in ink stains, or more accurately bloodstains. His hands, radius, and Ulna of both arms are covered in black ink. His tattoos still show through, they’re made of white paint against the inky darkness of Ink's bones. His fingertips are sharpened to a point. His paints are gone, along with his Broomie. His overalls pants are torn to shreds covering only half of his femurs. His tights underneath ripped at the ankles exposing more of his feet than before. His feet are just like his arms, but his feet are completely pale. His toes are sharpened, and the tiny spikes on the bottom of his feet are barely noticeable. 

He looks around before jumping backward from Bani. He growls as he arches his spine like a dog. Surprising everyone but Ink was the long thin paint tail he also had. Made of black paint and dripping just a little, it slowly tucks next to his leg. Bani coos at him before turning to face Dream.

"See?! Isn't he the best pet?"

Everyone looks horrified and Dream tears up as he clamps a hand over his mouth. What has that Dream done to his friend? Ink stumbles backward into Killer's grasp. Killer pulls him down into Error and Nightmare's hug. They hold onto him tightly, worried that if they let go he'll become like that. Bani giggles again.

"I'll show you how my Dream did it! So then Ink can be yours!" Dream shakes his head as he covers his eye sockets. Bani doesn't seem to care. The screen just fills with smoke as Tainted seems to stare directly at Dream.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone squints and Ink whimpers as they see the pure white room Tainted is in. It's almost impossible to tell where he is if it wasn't for the other colors of his outfit. His outfit was torn. His shirt was almost completely torn apart, revealing his tattooed rib cages and discolored spine. His sleeves were almost gone and his scarf was nowhere to be seen. He doesn't have any art supplies nor did he have vials. His pants were torn just like they were when they first saw him. His hands are covered with his blood. And his feet are also covered in blood. His back is to them as he bangs against something they can't see. It only then do they notice the glass cage holding him in this empty room. Nightmare and Error try to soothe Ink as Killer watches with weary eye lights. Tainted takes a breath.

"I never wanted to play make-believe, I try to stay within reality." Tainted sighs as he turns to lay against the glass on his back. He lifts his arms to stare at certain tattoos on his arms. Killer, Nightmare, and Error all notice the ones he's staring at and smile. Somewhere in that Ink is still their Inky. Error wonders if it’s because Bani took some of Ink’s coding. Tainted lowers his arms. "And from a really young age, I learned to cope with pain." He turns on his side, facing the window. He can't see it as it blends in with the surroundings but everyone notices how pale his eye lights are. He uses some of his blood to draw a small sideways lightning bolt and scythe. "I never was the same." He pulls the blood back to him before rolling over.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ink doesn't make eye contact with anyone. He knows precisely what pain Tainted is talking about. He only holds on tighter to Error and Nightmare. Killer holds him from behind and squeezes him gently to remind him that they're there for him. Cross smiles at them thankfully before turning back towards the screen. Dream shakes in Cross's embrace as he stares up with wide sockets. What has he done to that Ink? Ink becomes almost animalistic in white spaces after a while. And in a smaller cage? What is he doing?! Blue reaches out and holds onto Dream’s hand. Giving him a reassuring squeeze to remind him that it isn't their Ink. Blue moves away from Dust a little to hold onto Dream’s free hand with both of his. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I didn't want you to be superman, I only wanted you to hold my hand!" This Dream walks up into Tainted’s personal space and grabs onto the smaller's hand. Tainted looks around trying not to make eye contact, clearly uncomfortable. Dream gently caresses Tainted’s cheekbone. He panics and takes his hands back before running away with a blush on his cheeks. He doesn't know what to do or feel. He did like Dream for a while before falling in love with his trio of secret softies. Dream watches him run away before crumbling to the ground. "I guess I asked too much." Tears fall to the ground as he grabs at the grass. "Or wasn't worth enough." He grips the grass tightly before ripping it up in frustration. He huffs before marching off with tears of hate and corruption pouring down his face and leaving a trail behind him. **_But I kept faith because…_ **

The scene changes and shows Dream towering over Tainted. Somehow Dream grew in size, almost the size of past Nightmare. Tainted stands firm. "You're supposed to love and protect me!" More corruption falls from Dream’s eye sockets like tears and Tainted takes a step back as Dream stabs him on the sternum with his finger.

"I'm sorry that I didn't turn out the way that you wanted, but I just want us to stay friends." Tainted tries to back away but Dream grabs him by the arm and pulls him into the air.

"You’re supposed to love and accept me." His expression softens as he lowers Tainted to the ground. "Instead, I waited. Wasting so much time, and without you, I really had to sacrifice. The part of my soul that believed my dream could come to life." Tainted looks to the side with uncertainty before hugging the kneeling Dream.

The screen flashes again and Tainted is back in the cage banging on the wall facing the window. He growls with a red crosshair and target eye lights. "I played my part! You're tearing us apart!" He growls once more as he closes his eye sockets and kicks the glass once more. He slides down the side and covers his face with his scarf. "Believed it all would work out. Without a shred of doubt." He growls again as he slams his fist against the glass again. "But in your eyes, being friends wouldn't fly." He opens his eye sockets but keeps them focused on his clothes. "Why wasn't friends good enough?" He huffs as he rolls his eye lights. "Guess what I want doesn't mean much." 

Tainted sighs once more before hearing the door open. He turns and his eye sockets widen in shock before he's yanked out of the cage by a tentacle. **_Is it too late…_ ** He bangs his fist against it as he kicks out his legs. **_To quit this game?_ ** In return, he gets slammed against the ceiling and floor. More than three times before getting pulled close to Shattered's face. Tainted grunts before looking him dead in the sockets. He spits some blood into Shattered's face before smirking.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone pales as they see Shattered. Dream whimpers and hides his face in Cross’s jacket and Cross holds him tightly. Ink looks over at Dream before standing up and walking over to his friend. He hugs Dream to reassure him that he trusts Dream. He knows that Dream wouldn’t do that to him. Dream whimpers before turning and latching onto Ink and crying out apologies. Nightmare, Blue, Ink, and Cross all reassure Dream. They know it isn’t him, this is a different version of him. One that isn’t the same as him. Killer and Error both flinch as Tainted hits the ground over and over again. Dust looks away as Tainted spits into Shattered’s face. _He’s brave, I’ll give him that._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Fill me with poison. Make me numb." He chuckles with a sour note as he shakes his skull. He wiggles closer to Shattered's face. "I don't care if my soul breaks." He grins since he never told Shattered or this Dream that he doesn't have a soul. The only reason Shattered took his vials was that he thought that's the source of Tainted's magic. Shattered grumbles before squeezing Tainted tighter. "Feed me your bullshit! I hope it works-" Shattered cuts him off by slamming his skull against the ground, cracking it. It blinds Tainted in his left socket and he stops moving.

"That's all you're fucking good for!" Shattered throws Tainted back into the cage and white room as he takes the artist's scarf. Tainted blinks before getting up onto his knees. He slams his fist against the glass again. But this time as hard as he can, resulting in a loud thud.

"Thanks for nothing!" He growls before shouting. "Thanks, for-" He cuts himself off as he starts coughing up ink. He falls to the floor of the cage as it spills out of his mouth. "Thanks for nothing!" He growls as the ink changes to hate. He grits his teeth as he wipes his lower jaw. "Thanks, for-" He has another bout of coughing up ink and hate. He gasps for breath. "For nothing!" He grips his skull as it pulses with pain from the crack. "Thanks, for-" He cries out as ink oozes out of his left socket. He watches as red paint joins the ink oozing out of his sockets onto the ground. He looks in the direction of the window, scaring Dream and Cross, or where the door to the cage and room is. "Thanks for nothing!" He yells hoping that Shattered hears him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“That’s not good.” Killer whispers under his breath once he sees the difference between his inky blood and hate. Error nods.

“I don’t think Ink is ever supposed to have hate in him.” Error whispers back. 

Dream hides his face in Cross’s chest again. Dust holds Blue close to him, not wanting to think about what happened to that Blue. He remembers Bani holding a doll of Blue as well. Dust squeezes Blue gently as Blue yelps from the yell. Nightmare holds Ink tightly and Ink holds onto him as well. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The screen flashes once more and Tainted sits there in the cage with his left socket twitching. He cracks his joints before looking at his snapped humerus. He then looks at the other part of his arm laying next to him. He only slides down the glass further before looking at the scratched symbols on the glass. 

"Should I apologize for giving up?" He turns away to grab his arm. "Should I be sorry that I've had enough?" He crushes it further and whines in pain as it turns back to ink. "Of broken promises, excessive harsh judgments, and subtle rejections." As he stares at the puddle of ink his expression changes into a glare. "Are you even aware of what you've done to me?" He stares at the jagged edges of the bone. The pain had left him, only returning in pulses of throbbing pain. "Or are you just so blind that you can't see?" He slumps over the puddle of ink. Wincing as the ink touches the fracture. "The scars that you've left here." As he sits up, the ink pulls into the shape of his arm. "Mutating into fear, of people getting near." As he growls in pain, more ink mixed with hate collects into the palm of his ink hand. As it becomes solid, he notices that his fingers are sharper. Not by much, but enough to carve into the glass easier.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ink? Can you do that?” Nightmare shifts to look at Ink and Ink nods.

“If one limb turns to ink, I can reattach it like that, or if I have a paintbrush, I can repaint a limb.” Everyone pales at the fact that Ink knows. Nightmare only holds Ink closer before Ink picks him up and carries him back to Killer and Error. They hold onto Ink tightly as well. Dust grimaces at the lost limb turning into ink like it would to dust.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Why don't you love and accept me?" Shattered holds him in the air by his neck and Tainted struggles before being dropped onto the ground.

"Sorry that I didn't turn out the way that you wanted. I guess that's why I don't want to stay." Tainted dusts himself off and starts to walk away. Shattered growls again and wraps a tentacle around Tainted's ankle and pulls. Causing Tainted's skull to crack further against the floor, and ink drips out of the crack, as Shattered pulls him back towards the glass cage. 

"Why can't you love and protect me?" He opens the door to the white room and throws Tainted into the cage before closing the cage and door to the room.

"Instead, I waited wasting so much time. And without hope, I really had to sacrifice the part of my heart that believed that we could still be friends." Tainted huffs as his skull twitches. He tries to scratch at the glass, only to growl louder. He lets out a snarl before slamming his head into the glass, creating a spider web of cracks in the glass. As well as another crack on his skull. His eye light goes out as he falls backward. Everyone flinches at the bang and when Ink hits the floor of the cage. The screen flashes.

"You had a chance! I took it back!" Tainted growls as he lunges at Shattered. Shattered catches him by the throat and slams him back onto the ground.

"Why should I let you go free? When you can't say that you belong to me?" Shattered growls before slamming Tainted back onto the ground, this time creating a hole in Tainted's skull. Shattered then throws him into a metal bar cage in the white room. Everyone notices the shattered glass cage covered in both ink and colored paint in the hallway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Holy shit.” Dust comments as he sees the damage to the glass box that used to be Tainted’s cage. 

“Christ, that’s not even able to be considered a container anymore.” Cross’s eye sockets widen as he stares. He holds Dream close, so then he doesn’t have to see. Blue and Dream already know what Tainted has done.

Killer and Nightmare wince at the small hole in Tainted’s skull. Ink gulps and holds onto Error tighter as Error hugs him tighter as well. Killer turns to Ink just to make sure that Inky is physically okay and doesn’t have a hole in his skull.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wish I were strong enough to hold on." Tainted stares longingly at his tattoos again. The three that he holds dear to his heart before his eye light rolls back and he becomes another puddle of ink.

"The ache grows and grows." Shattered, outside the door, brings a hand to where his soul is. He growls softly as tears flow down his face. He wipes his face quickly. "As long as he can still say 'no.'" He smiles wickedly as an idea forms. "So ... He's got to go." 

He walks off down a hallway and the screen flashes again. He has Tainted squirming in the air, holding him by the neck. The others recognize that they’re in a smaller white room. Tainted growls loudly before letting out a pain-filled gasp. His eye sockets widen in shock and betrayal as his white eye light stares dead into Shattered's. Shattered pulls the tentacle out of Tainted's hip, or more accurately what's left of his hips. Tainted's legs fall to the floor as Shattered shoves a tentacle into Tainted's mouth. He forces Tainted to swallow corruption goo.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“No! There’s no telling what that could do to others!” Nightmare cries out as he holds Killer, Ink, and Error closer. Dream might’ve not seen what happened, but from what his brother cried out, he can only assume.

“That seems a little…” Killer looks away with a wince. Error nods and Ink looks away. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Swallow your poison, just one gulp!" He drops Tainted to the ground with a horrific smile. Tainted starts to choke as he looks up from the ground. Shattered smiles as he shoves Tainted's skull into a bucket of black paint. The same paint as his vials. "I want you to drink it all." Tainted tries to fight from the overdose of paint before being shoved into another bucket of white. Then yellow. Then magenta. Then red. Then quench blue. Tainted chokes before he starts shaking. "Have just a taste of what you serve." He reaches out to Shattered as his body overloads on colors and corruption. After being starved of paint, so much at once is breaking his mind. "This is how bad your lies hurt!" Shattered yells as he stabs a tentacle through Tainted. Delivering the final blow. Tainted becomes a puddle of ink. The colors ooze out and flow around. Shattered takes the moments of Tainted's silence to pour the rest of the buckets of paint into Tainted's puddle. He leaves the room, locking the door behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“No! No! That’s more than I’ve ever overdosed on!” Ink covers his eye sockets. “Who knows what could happen! Even then, that isn’t all of the paints, it’s out of balance!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tainted bursts from the puddle screaming. Too many colors! He can't have this much paint at one time. He could overdose from one whole vial. **_Thanks for nothing._ ** But with five BUCKETS worth of paint. He doesn’t know what to feel. **_Thanks, for-_ ** He’s unable to balance any of the feelings, and he’s aware that it wasn’t even all of his vial paints. Only five out of who knows how many, he can’t remember. He pukes up ink before collapsing back into the paint. Since this is familiar paint, his body wants to absorb it. **_Thanks for nothing!_ ** He shouldn’t. It’s not wise, nor is it something he can’t stop doing right now. The colors all absorb into Tainted’s body ink. **_Thanks, for-_ ** The extra black paint causes his body to grow. He grips his skull tightly as he lets out an unholy screech. The corruption mixed with the paints is breaking his mind. **_For nothing!_ ** His body tries to keep its original form, but due to the extra paint, he has to stay proportional. 

So instead, he grows twice his size and takes the form that they saw at the beginning. Making the already small room smaller. The red paint mixes with the white, causing him to attack the walls in a blind crazed rage. He slams his head into the walls before screeching again. **_Thanks, for-_ ** Causing everyone to bring their hands to their skulls as if to cover their ears. Tainted continues to slam, scratch, kick, and scream at the white walls. His broken mind can’t think of much more than Shattered. Love, ecstasy, euphoria, rage, and loyalty all waver. **_Thanks for nothing!_ **His mind goes from Shattered to his brothers and his true lovers. He barely gains enough sanity and clarity in his broken state to stop slamming into the walls. He brings his claws up to his skull and they dig into his skull as he grunts in pain. His tail flicks against the walls, leaving wet ink splatters against them.

“Thanks for n-no-nothing!” He yells towards the wall where the door is. Shattered smiles from behind the door. As he walks away his smile falls.

“I'm not too sensitive, and I'm not incompetent!” He turns to look at something the others can’t see. “He failed the job that he was meant to have in my life!” He waves his hand away before continuing down the hall. 

“No, I'm not incompetent! No, I'm not too sensitive!” Tainted growls as continues to scratch at his skull. He draws ink and colored paint from his skull with every scratch. He turns to the door and growls as he slams his fist against it. The window shakes from the force and everyone in the room jumps. “And if you really cared then you'd just say you're sorry!” He slams his upper torso against the door before his face relaxes to a blank, dead stare. “The saddest part is that you won't even hear these thoughts.” He just sits there deadly still and his tail taps against the floor once before going still as well. 

There’s a soft thud against the window, to the left. However, there wasn’t anything there. A soft voice, not Tainted’s, but someone else’s rings out. “I wish, that things had been different.” The soft pitter-patter of footsteps against the glass, or in Tainted’s view: the wall, joins the voice. “Now I can't just leave it all behind.” The voice breaks into soft sobs. “If I could heal the wounds within, maybe we both could start again. But now I can't! His mind has cracked!” A soft sniffle as what sounds like someone sitting down on the glass joins the soft sobs. Tainted’s eye light flickers to the window, or more likely whatever is on the window. “So until then… Can't let him win! This is the end.” The sound of someone hitting the glass startles everyone in the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What’s that?” Killer, Dust, and Error all look towards the source of the voice. They can’t quite figure it out. Ink stares directly at the ghost and his eye sockets widen.

“No way…” He glances over his shoulder before staring at the ghost again. “It is.” 

Dust and Killer get the feeling that it’s a ghost, but they have no idea of who it could be. Blue only holds onto Dust tightly. Dream’s eye sockets widen as he pieces it together. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tainted sits there in front of Shattered’s throne. He twitches and his expression changes before going back to empty. Everyone notices that the ink on his arms and legs are almost gone. “Fill me with poison - Make me numb.” He stays limp with an empty tone as Shattered picks him up by the throat. He looks to the side. “I don't care if my heart stops.” His eye light slowly makes its way back to look Shattered in the sockets. “Feed me your bullshit, hope it works.” A tear falls as he tilts his head to the side. “That's all I’m fucking good for.” Shattered purrs slowly in agreement. A soft yellow blush is barely noticeable on Shattered’s face.

“Swallow your poison, just one gulp~” He shoves more corruption down Tainted’s throat. As he does, Tainted’s eye light shrinks and the ink grows up his arms and legs. “I want you to drink it all.” He grabs onto Shattered’s tentacle still in his mouth and sinks his claws into it as he starts to thrash. “Have just a taste of what you serve, this is how bad your lies hurt.” Shattered coos at him as he drops Tainted onto the ground. Tainted arches his spine again as growls. He whines as he collapses on the ground grabbing his skull. Shattered smirks as he sits down on his throne. “Thanks for nothing.” Tainted’s eye sockets snap open as he slowly walks, on all fours, to the dog bed next to Shattered’s throne. He sits down before huffing and looking away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bani’s giggles ring through the room as the screen turns off. Everyone glares at the screen as Bani makes their way into view. They make their way right in front of the glass. Their mask has healed, not by much but still. 

“So~ Dreamy, how about it? You want to give it a try?” Dream shakes his skull.

“No! No! That’s awful and horrid! I don’t want to hurt my friend!” Cross holds Dream closer as Dream tears up. “It’s appalling to imagine that you think I would agree to EVER hurt my friend!” Bani pulls back in disgust before getting close to the glass again. 

“But Dreamy!~ Lemme show you the best use of the white room! How many times has Ink at least annoyed you by not listening? You can always use this~ It works every time!” Ink whimpers as he covers his eyes. Anything but white, blank, empty anything! Both as an artist, and after piecing together his backstory he hates the color white. Error, Nightmare, and Killer all hold Ink close. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone watches as Tainted walks into the white room. He has a blindfold over his eye sockets as he feels his way into the glass cage. He turns his skull in different directions as he tries to feel around his way. He laughs at something Shattered said as he finally steps into the cage.

“Okay Dream. Whatever it is that you have to show me, make it quick… Okay? I left Paperjam with Cross. I said I was only going to be gone for an hour or two at most. You know how Jammy gets when I'm gone for too long.” Tainted turns his head to where he thinks Shattered is.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ink’s soul tightens at the mention of the name. Everyone else looks at the screen in confusion. Who’s Paperjam? And Why did Ink leave them with Cross? _Shouldn’t any Sans other than Littletale be old enough to be by themselves? Unless…_ Blue turns to Ink. He studies his reaction and pieces it together. His expression changes as he watches Ink before holding onto Dust tighter and turning back to the screen. _Oh. Oh no. But, they haven’t… Ink would’ve told us. Or at least his boyfriends. Even his brothers… So how does Ink know about this ‘Paperjam’?_ Ink whimpers softly as he covers his mouth. 

“Kiki? Do you know who Paperjam is?” Ink tears up before hiding his face in Error’s chest. Error turns to Nightmare and Killer, and they shake their heads before hugging Ink.

“PJ… Stain.” He murmurs into Error’s shirt. No one other than Ink remembers them.

“Inky?” Killer places his hand against Ink’s back to help soothe him. 

Ink quietly sobs into Error’s shirt as he mourns the lost fraternal twins. They were lost to the creator’s rewriting certain Aus. Making certain events never happen, taking his kids before they could even be two. The phantom touches of tiny hands gripping his index finger haunt him. Nightmare presses a soft kiss to Ink’s skull before nodding to Killer. Error and he will focus on comforting Ink, Killer watches to see what else he can piece together about this 'Paperjam'.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tainted hears the cage door close behind him. “Huh? Dream?” Shattered smiles to the mic.

“Welcome, Inkblot.” 

Ink turns around as the voice of Shattered fills the room from all sides. The outside door closes and Tainted takes off the blindfold to see the empty room. He gasps as he backs up only to hit the glass. **_Welcome to the-_ ** Tainted sinks to the floor, gasping for air in his panic. Shattered’s chuckle rings throughout the room as he watches Ink from the tiny cameras in the corners of the room. **_Welcome to the-_ ** Tainted cries out before stumbling to his feet and to where he thinks the exit is. He bangs his fists in desperation against the glass. He left Broomie in another room since Shattered called him for tea. He left it in that room. **_Welcome to the-_ ** His breathing becomes more labored as he tries to find the cut in the glass for the exit. Only to find there isn’t one. Everyone watches as his panicked expression becomes desperate as tears collect in the corner of his eye sockets. 

“D-Dream?! P-Please! I have to get back Jammy! E-Error, Night, and Kills need me! They c-can’t take care of Jammy or Stain by themselves! C-Cross a-and Reaper will get worried t-too!” Shattered doesn’t respond and Tainted continues to bang against the glass. It looks like normal glass, but it’s magic proof and five inches thick. He continues to bang on it as he slides down it into a sobbing mess. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Killer’s eye sockets widen along with everyone else’s. Blue only looks away from the confirmation and Ink covers his face. Killer and Nightmare make eye contact before turning to Error.

“A child. No… Kids?” Dream covers his mouth and turns away in disgust at Shattered’s actions. Cross blinks.

“I’m an uncle in that Multiverse? A-and then this happens?” He holds Dream close before whispering comforting words to Dream. 

_I don’t like being right. Not like this_. Blue shifts so his face into Dust’s jacket. Dust only holds Blue close in return. 

“Kiki and us… We have kids in that multiverse?” Error holds the small, sobbing, shaking skeleton closer. Nightmare stares down at Ink before pressing another kiss to his skull.

“But it does bring the question of how Inky knew.” Nightmare mutters. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A time skip happens as Tainted sits there without his vials. He keeps his sockets closed as he curls in on himself. He whimpers more as he hears footsteps echoing throughout the room. While Shattered did take his vials, he didn’t take anything else yet. **_Hell-raising, hair raising._ ** Tainted takes in a deep breath as he sits up. He holds himself close before barely opening his sockets.

“I'm ready for the worst.” 

He looks to the side before quickly shifting his gaze back to the colors of his outfit. He takes his scarf off and lays it against the floor. He smooths it out as he rereads the notes on it to help calm him down. **_So frightening, face whitening._ ** Tainted smiles as he rereads the notes about Paperjam and Stain. The faint memories of Paperjam’s first few bounces after standing up on his own as he laughs. How he would make grabby hands to Tainted with the calls for attention from his mama. How Stain would crawl backward sometimes. How startled Nightmare was when Stain crawled backward away from him and into Killer’s arms. Tainted sniffles as he holds his scarf close as he remembers those things. **_Fear that you can't reverse._ ** He can’t help but wonder how much time has passed. He never told Cross who called him, only that it wouldn’t take too long. He was with Paperjam since PJ had woken up from his nap wanting to be with Tainted. Stain, when he left to visit his brother, was still asleep in Killer’s arms. They’re only six and a half months, he can’t fathom being away from them for too long. He sits there for a moment before an idea hits him. He quickly reaches into his pocket and pulls out a phone. He unlocks it before checking it and slumps down the wall. 

“My phone has no signal.” He puts his phone back into his pocket before curling back into a ball. He closes his eye sockets again to try and block out the blankness of the room. **_It's making my skin crawl._ ** He turns over before sitting up again. He brings his hands to his skull as if to cover his ears. “The silence is so loud.” 

**_The lights spark and flicker_** as Tainted sits up and looks up. The bright lights flicker again as footsteps echo in the room. **_With monsters much bigger._ ** Tainted gulps as he hears the faint chuckle of Shattered as faint as a memory. He uses the glass to stand up and presses a hand against it as he looks around. **_Then I can control now_**. He lets out a whimper as he taps the glass again, looking for a way out before Shattered could turn on the cameras, or at least put on a brave face. Show no fear. Shattered grabs the mic. 

“Welcome to the panic room!” His voice resounds off the glass and causes Tainted to jump back from the wall of the cage before slowly making his way back to the wall. “Where all your darkest fears are gonna come for you.” Shattered smiles wickedly at the video feed. Tainted looks around as he presses both hands against the glass. 

“‘Come for you?’” Tainted whimpers back to no one as he looks around. 

“Welcome to the panic room.” Shattered’s eye glows a shade of butterscotch as he stares at Tainted through the video feed. Tainted stumbles back to the center of the room as his eye sockets glow the same butterscotch color. “You'll know I wasn't joking when you see them too.” Tainted looks around the ceiling of the room to try and find the cameras.

“‘See them too?’” He looks straight ahead to see the hallucinations building themselves up.

“Welcome to the panic room.” Shattered purrs into the mic as he watches Tainted cover his mouth before screaming. Everyone’s eye sockets widen in horror.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“No. No. No.” Ink stares at the hallucinations in horror as he reaches out towards them. “Nighty, Kills, Ruru… Not them.” He looks closer. “Jammy! Stain!” He looks away and curls in on himself. 

“Shit. That’s terrifying.” Dust mumbles under his breath as Blue covers his mouth. 

“Hallucinations? But I can only affect dreams. Unless…” Dream’s magic curls in disgust and terror. He doesn’t like this version of him. Cross holds him close.

“It’s okay Dreamy, that’s not you. You’re right here. Ink is right over there. This isn’t your doing. It’s Bani’s.” Cross murmurs to Dream. 

“Kiki, we’re right here. That’s not us.” Error holds Ink close. Killer pulls Ink back onto his lap and holds him from behind tightly. Nightmare joins in the hug. They all leave kisses against Ink’s skull as he cries.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Welcome to the-” 

The other Error, missing an arm and most of his ribs snapped off. His foot is gone as well. Half of his skull is cracked in spiderwebs. He reaches out towards Tainted, with PJ in his good arm, the broken jagged edges of the missing arm pointing towards Tainted. Paperjam’s tiny body slowly turning to dust as he cries. Paperjam opens his small eye sockets to look at Tainted as he reaches out with a faint cry for Tainted. Paperjam turns to dust before Error collapses onto the ground. Tainted looks to the left and screeches.

“Welcome to the-” 

The other Killer, from his pelvis down, is gone. He claws his way towards the cage, using his knives to pull him closer. Tainted falls to his knees and crawls towards the wall and bangs his fist against it. The other Killer’s soul wavers and he rolls over, gasping for air before starting to choke on hate. Killer sadly smiles as he closes his sockets. Tainted backs up, his breathing becoming erratic. He looks to his left again and lets out a scream again. 

“Welcome to the-” 

The other Nightmare staggers side to side as he looks at Tainted. Half of his skull is gone, blown to pieces. There’s no left eye socket, the hole starts from his left cheekbone going towards the nasal cavity. Then going straight up and around the rest of his skull. His clothes are torn to shreds with blue and purple arrows piercing his back and the sides of his ribcage as he holds in his arms another baby. His smile shakes as he shows the baby to Tainted, unharmed, and sleeping. “Inky… Stain’s safe.” Tainted sobs out a weak laugh as he presses himself against the glass. Nightmare’s leg snaps from a misstep and he falls to the ground, still protecting the child. Tainted whimpers as he looks to his left once more. He lets out a loud wail as he crawls towards the wall.

“Welcome to the-” 

Cross’s ribcage and up are held up by Reaper. Cross smirks weakly as if to show that he’s okay. Anything lower than his ribcage is gone. The spine snapped off cleanly, the only thing keeping him alive is Chara’s determination, and even that is slowly failing. Reaper looks at Tainted in sadness as his right arm, most of the right side of his ribcage, scapula, and clavicle has the marks of being blown off by a blast. Tainted lets out broken, strangled screams between his gasps and wails as he falls to the ground. He presses his skull to the floor of the cage and curls into a ball as he sobs. Shattered smiles as he watches. The screen flashes.

Tainted sits there with his back to a wall of the cage as he rocks himself back and forth. He tries to calm himself from seeing his lovers and brothers like that over and over again. **_Still waiting, hands shaking._ ** He breathes onto his hands to keep warm as it starts to get colder. He doesn’t want to freeze here. He sniffles and wipes his eyes before standing up again. He’s got a family to get back to. And he’s determined to get back. **_Maybe the coast will clear._ ** He brings his hands to the glass. He lets out a huff of effort as he punches the glass. He pulls his fist back from the glass before flexing it once more and punching it again. He growls before dropping into a fighting stance. Due to being so small, he has enough room in the cage to shift his stance before swinging his foot. He shifts his weight so he doesn’t fall over as his leg reaches about the height of his shoulder. As he swings his foot, he shifts directions to kick at the glass cage. Nothing happens and he growls again. He lowers his foot and swings out a punch as well. 

Nothing happens.

 **_But these voices, these strange noises_**. He stops as he hears the sounds of crackling come from the speakers. He lowers his fist and covers the sides of his skull as a high pitched whistle pierces the air. He lets out a cry of pain before dropping to the ground. He sits there panting as the sound of footsteps leaving the security room echos. **_They followed me in here._ ** Tainted thinks for another moment before reaching into a secret pocket. Inside his overalls, strapped to his left femur is a small pouch. He pulls out a headset and puts it on. He taps on the side of one of the headphones as he pulls the mic down to his mouth. Everyone blinks in surprise as Ink smiles. He doesn’t use that headset often. The magic in it allows it to work anywhere, and he’ll be able to contact Sona or Fresh. They watch as Tainted fiddles with it for a moment before blinking and taking it off. In a fit of frustration and rage, he throws it at the wall.

 **_My phone has_ ** “No signal!” He growls. He lets his shoulders fall as he covers his face. He can’t stand it in here for much longer. **_It's making my skin crawl._ ** The only reason he can hold out for so long is that he has a task to focus on instead. He whines softly as he rubs his knuckles before looking around. **_The silence is so loud._ ** He sighs as he hears Shattered enter the security room again. **_The lights spark and flicker._ ** Tainted whimpers. How long has he been here? How long has it been since he’s seen his family? His brothers? His boyfriends? His kids? He doesn’t know. **_With monsters much bigger._ ** He just wants to go home. He wipes his tears, getting ready to face whatever Shattered shows him again. **_That I can control now._ ** He stands up with a soft growl towards the ceiling of the surrounding white room. His eye sockets glow a butterscotch color again and he grits his teeth. He drops his stance into a boxing stance.

“Welcome to the panic room.” Shattered croons into the mic. Tainted takes a breath in before throwing punch after punch at the glass. He doesn’t stop. “Where all your darkest fears are gonna come for you.” Tainted stops as he looks up towards a camera. He gives Shattered the middle finger before growling.

“I’m coming for you.” He stops for a second before smiling. He steadies his breathing before turning his hand into a small ink portal. He grunts with effort. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ink, can you do that?” Ink wipes his tears as he looks back at the screen.

“Yeah. But it takes a lot of concentration and energy. It isn’t something that I can do all the time. It’s why I rely on Broomie so much.” Everyone nods in understanding.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He smiles as he gets his hands out, forming back into hands on the other side of the glass. Shattered frowns as he watches before flipping a switch. Tainted stops moving as soon as the faint sound of something spinning fills his cage. 

“Welcome to the panic room!” Tainted lets out a loud cry of pain as his hands are cut off from his wrists. He falls backward as ink drips from his bones. He stares at his severed hands outside the cage before resisting the urge to throw up. “You'll know I wasn't joking when you see them too.” Tainted doesn’t look up to see his family again. He’s too distracted by the pain. “See them too.” He watches as his hands vanish, only to appear right in front of him. He growls as he bangs his skull against the glass again. His hands become puddles of ink and Tainted quickly turns around. He dips his wrists into the puddles and pulls his hands out before throwing an inky punch at the glass.

“Welcome to the panic room.” He huffs to himself. He slows down as he walks to the glass and presses his skull against it. The hallucinations of his family press their skulls and hands against the other side of the glass as well.

“Welcome to the-” Killer softly murmurs back as he holds Nightmare’s hand. Nightmare holds Stain to the window who gurgles softly before starting to cry. Tainted starts to cry as the urge to reach out and hold Stain grows. 

“Welcome to the-” Error breathes out as he holds Paperjam closer to the glass. Paperjam starts to cry out to Tainted and Tainted cries harder as they turn away and walk away. It was always when his family was okay and walked away from him that hurt the most. 

The screen flashes and Tainted sits there in the corner with a metal band covering his eye sockets. His hands are in his lap as he sits there. There are **_no crying wolves now._ ** Tears flow from under his 'blindfold'. He shifts before pulling the hood with wolf ears over his skull. He turns his skull to the right and rests it against the glass, giving the others a view of the crack. Once he moves, he gives a view of the inky tail in his lap. One of the ears twitches before he moves onto all fours. He growls softly in the direction of the window before standing up. His full height barely touches the top of the cage. His tail flicks around the cage. It seems to measure out the dimensions of the wall. He feels out the dimensions of the other walls. **_'Cause the truth has settled in_**. He feels around, following the creases where the walls meet each other. He makes mental notes of where the corners are.

He takes in another deep breath. **_Hiding under goose down._ ** He’s only got one chance to escape. He knows that if he makes it out, it’ll be one hell of a recovery road. His mind may be gone, but he can focus on the people he needs to get back to. **_For your nightmare to begin_**. He smiles at the thought of seeing his kids again. He doesn’t remember much of what they look like now, but he knows that Paperjam and Stain are waiting for him. **_There are no crying wolves now._ ** He’s not sure how much time has passed since that day. It could have been years. Months? Weeks? Hours? Days? He doesn’t know, but he will get out. He tries to calm himself as he starts to tap against the glass.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What’s he doing?” Blue studies what Tainted does before tapping on Dust.

“He’s listening.”

“To what? The glass?” Killer and Nightmare both nod.

“Yeah.” Dust turns to Killer with a look of confusion.

“He’s listening to what parts of the glass sound the weakest. So he can focus on those spots.” Nightmare explains as he rubs circles on Ink’s knuckles. Dust nods in understanding. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Welcome to the-” Tainted murmurs under his breath as he taps the glass. “Welcome to…” 

He stops for a moment. He focuses on the center of the glass wall. He taps it again. **_'Cause the truth has settled in._ ** He smirks before taping it again. He stops his tail from taping the other walls. He leans in closer to the glass and taps at the center of the wall again. **_Hiding under goose down_**. He quickly taps the other walls in the center. His smile grows. He’s so close. He backs up into the center of the cage. His tail flicks the bottom of the cage once. Twice. **_For your nightmare to begin_**. He takes a deep breath in. He slowly lets out the breath as he stares directly at the center of the wall. His ears on the hood lay flat against the rest of the hood as he starts to growl. His tail tapes the wall once. Twice. Three times. Now.

 **_Welcome to the panic room!_ ** With a loud snarl of effort, he sends his strongest punch at the glass. Cracking it. He stops for a second as he listens to the glass creak. He smiles and continues to punch at the weak glass. **_Where all your darkest fears are gonna…_ ** Left. Right. Left. Right. He sends punch after punch with a smirk hearing the glass crack more. He stops and spreads his stance before driving an elbow into the sidewall. He hears it creak before driving his other elbow into the other wall. He grunts in the effort as he kicks out behind him, shattering the glass. **_Come for you, come for you._ ** He gasps in awe before continuing to destroy each wall. Trying to make the largest hole he can. As he continues to break the glass, he cuts himself on the broken glass. On his feet and his hands. 

He grits his teeth and continues to punch and kick the glass. It coats the glass with ink and colored paint as it oozes from his injuries. **_Welcome to the panic room!_ ** He uses his tail to feel around the hole in front of him. He smiles and jumps through it. He uses his arms to cover the rest of his face as he jumps through. The cage falls apart behind him and he runs to a wall. He taps it, hollow. He smiles before throwing himself out of the room. He lands in a hallway. **_You'll know I wasn't joking_**. He growls as his ear twitches. He hears the footsteps of Yani and Desire. He runs on all fours towards the wall, and everyone in the room cries out to him. To their surprise, other than Ink (who fell asleep in tears), Tainted jumps into the air. He uses his claws to stick to the ceiling. He swings his feet onto the ceiling, and the small spikes at the bottom of his feet cause his feet to help him stick. **_When you see them too, see them too._ ** He starts to run as fast as he can on all fours on the ceiling. He smiles as he hears the sound of the wind, a window. He doesn’t care how high he is off the ground. If he splats, he’ll just have to reform fast. He pushes himself faster towards the window and hope fills his mind. He gets close. 

He jumps.

And a tentacle grabs him by the neck. It pulls him back into the hallway sharply. He lets out a cry of pain and desperation. **_Hell-raising, hair raising._ ** Shattered drags him back to the white room. Tainted thrashes against him. His animalistic growling and screeching fill the halls and room. He lets out a whine of pain as he’s thrown into a metal bar cage. He sits up as tears fall. He was so close. As Shattered closes the door to the smaller cage and an even smaller room, Tainted lets out a pain-filled howl. **_I'm ready for the worst._ **

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nightmare and Error both hold Ink’s hands a little tighter. Killer softly shifts Ink’s body into his lap. Everyone cringes a little from the howls. It’s weird that Tainted can speak, but makes more animalistic sounds instead. Bani pops into the frame. 

“See, Dreamy? Just using a little paint, a white room, and some buttons! You can have your very own pet Ink! Sketch might be asleep right now, but I wanna show you more.” Blue glares at Bani. While that isn’t his friend, it’s still a version of his friend. And Bani has hurt both of his friends. 

“What kind of buttons?” Dust narrows his eye sockets at Bani and their eyes roll.

“Button eyes, of course!” Everyone pulls away in disgust, but Bani doesn’t seem to care. “How else would they protect Sketch’s eye sockets from more damage?” Blue stutters for words in his anger. _More damage?! Putting buttons like Buttontale in someone’s eye sockets damages the skull! And their eye sockets! Is that why he was wearing that blindfold?!_ Blue mutters hate-filled comments under his breath. “Now… I’ll show you how broken- I mean… malleable, he can become after a while.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone brings their hands to their skulls when the loud radio static fills the room. They watch as Tainted seems to repeatedly smack his skull against the metal bars of his cage. **_Stitch, sew, cut, pull._ ** Tainted hums out the four words. The ones he would hear from Shattered, or Desire, as they would “fix” him. **_Stitch, sew, cut, and pull._ ** While one of them said it to take his mind off of the searing pain from having his skull pierced around his sockets, the other did it just to mock his pain. **_Stitch, sew, cut, pull._ ** He misses the old Dream. The nice one. **_Stitch, sew, cut, and pull!_ ** Sometimes he thinks he can still feel him around. Sometimes, he thinks that he can see him floating around in his white prison. But, that’s just his master’s hallucinations getting to him. **_Stitch, sew, cut, pull._ ** He sighs as he tries to look around. His one eye light looks around the room, he needs color. **_Stitch, sew, cut, and pull._ ** Something other than white and brown. He can’t take it. **_Stitch, sew, I tried._ **Suddenly, he sees black, white, red, blue, and lovely violet. Somewhere in his mind, it clicks that these people are important to him. 

“Stitch, sew, you're alive!” He gasps as he grabs the bars. His tail wags back and forth. He hasn’t seen them in a long time… Maybe they’re here to let him out of his cage for a walk? He likes walks. He doesn’t like it when his master pulls on his leash to hurry him from looking at all the pretty colors.

“Hah hah!” The first one laughs at him, pointing at him as if he’s an animal. His ears fold down in sad confusion. The skeleton turns around, his red eye sockets seem to linger on his expression for a second more. Tainted looks towards the next one. Maybe this one will let him stretch his legs?

“Hah hah!” The second one laughs as Tainted focuses on the red target floating in front of his rib cage. A toy maybe? His master did get mad the last time he killed a mouse thinking it was a toy. So… was it a magic toy? They turn away from him as well. Something about this action makes him ache. He doesn’t like it. _Come back_. He whines to try and get them to turn around again.

“Hah hah!” The third one laughs into his hands before turning on his heel. With a small wave, the three of them walk away from Tainted. Tainted’s shoulders fall as he backs away from the bars. Tears fall from behind the circular blue button in his left socket. 

“Hah hah.” He chuffs to himself in return as he covers his eye sockets. Don’t let master see. He doesn’t like paint help. No more.

“80 degrees!” Shattered barks to Desire and Yani. They can’t risk freezing the lord’s pet. The last time he froze wasn’t pretty for anyone to see. While Shattered love feeding off of Tainted’s emotions at the moment, it wasn’t worth the worry after. “His mind is hemmed by reveries.” 

Shattered chuckles as he watches Tainted stare at nothing. The screen flashes to show what he sees. Everyone stares in horror, even though Ink’s memory is bad, they didn’t think he could forget everyone. They watch as he smiles at five faceless skeletons walking around. They seem like they’re doing normal day to day activities. One, a black skeleton with blue tear tracks on his face, is sitting on the floor. He sticks his five tongues out at a baby skeleton, who responds by sticking three back out at him. His eye light shifts to look at another, one with a glowing heart-shaped red target floating in front of his chest, as they hold up another baby skeleton. He watches as he spins the baby in the air as the last skeleton with a pretty crown follows them. Ready to catch the baby, should the other drop it. Tainted squints at the symbol on the crown, but he can’t remember it. None of their facial features are there. Shattered growls as he looks into what Tainted sees.

“Iron out Saudade and memories unfold.” In a second, Tainted is staring directly at Shattered with an unnerving empty stare. Shattered only smiles back at him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Wait… Tell me he isn’t.” Dream covers his mouth as tears fill his sockets again. Nightmare only turns to his twin with a grim expression.

“I think he did, brother. I think… He did.” Dream cries. He looks at his hand before hiding it again. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Off-grain fabric tells a different tale.” No one else in the castle pays attention to what Tainted says anymore. When he does speak, it often makes no sense to those who hear without listening. He stares at his sleeves, or what used to be his sleeves as he tries to remember what they used to look like. They were a lighter shade of coffee… He thinks. Instantly, he grips the wolf ears on his hood. A high pitched dog whistle pierces through his cage at a frequency only he can hear due to the ears. **_Tailored frequencies need to be repaired._ ** “Seven a.m. is when the speakers play his sounds.” He brings his hands back to his lap as he picks at the remnants of his overalls. His tail flicks in restraint as he chooses not to attack the bars in the direction of the horrid sounds. 

He looks up and off to the side where a flicker of a ghost-like Dream watches over Tainted. Tainted smiles softly as he tilts his head to the side. It’s that hallucination again, he can’t remember who that is. Maybe it’s a friend. He points to one of his wolf ears on his hood. “Listening to the speaker while the patterns pin into place.” The ghost Dream tilts his skull in a saddened confusion. Cross’s eye sockets widen. After living with Ink for so long, he’s learned to pick up what he says. He can only hope that his counterpart in this Multiverse can do that too. Tainted looks down at what used to be normal fingers. He lazily drags a claw over one of the metal bars. “Scissors separate the yellow from the white.” Within a blink, a blade passes through where his finger was just moments before.

“Good morning, small-town listener!” Tainted smiles in delight as an actual voice joins him to keep him company in this empty room. Shattered smiles at his pet’s joyful aura that he gives off as he watches through the monitors. Shattered feeds off of it, and the others watch as Tainted slowly becomes duller until he isn’t smiling anymore.

 **_Thimbles coat my fingers._ ** Tainted sits there, obviously upset, with two thick oven mitts over his hands. There are also two more on his feet. Yani and Desire look between each other and sigh. If that’s what it takes to keep him from scratching at himself. It’s what Lord Shattered orders too. Desire stares down at the broken imitation of what used to be his friend in momentary distraught. Who used to be the guardian of Aus. **_Feed dogs are jamming up!_ ** He growls at them as they walk away. He didn’t like the muzzle over his mouth. It wasn’t his fault so many people got too close to his mouth. Their colors were just too tempting to taste. He knows colors are important, he just can’t remember why. But when he sees another color other than brown, yellow, magenta, red, black, or white; he feels the urge, the need, to consume it. 

It was maybe partially his fault that he bit Shattered on the tongue, hard enough to draw blood. But the color of Shattered’s blood promised soothing ease to his broken mind. He just needed to try. It didn't taste too good. It tasted sweet before leaving a sour aftertaste. He thrashes against the chains keeping him in place as he has another “fit.” **_The thread comes in tangles._ ** His tail wraps around the chains and tries to break them as he tries to get the mitts off to claw at the muzzle. He needs to get out. He needs to see… He needs to see his master. He doesn’t need to be chained down. He stops squirming as familiar magic lulls him into a feeling of peace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Stars, he’s being treated like a wild animal!” Blue spits out in disgust. 

He saw what he thinks is supposed to be him and doesn’t know what to think. He thinks the person next to him was Lust, but he isn’t sure. Dream frowns as well. Then looks over to Ink, who seems to be clinging to Error’s arm. Killer holds Ink from behind and looks away from the window for relief he softly presses kisses to the back of Ink’s vertebrae to try and calm him. Nightmare holds onto them for comfort as well. One arm holding onto Ink, the other holding onto Killer and Error. Error uses his free hand to hold Nightmare’s hand, softly rubbing his knuckles. Dust and Cross both flinch away at the sight of what could’ve been their friend and brother in chains and muzzle. They can understand the need for mitts. That’s why Cross had given his baby brother a longer scarf for his birthday. So he could wring it in his hands instead of digging into his radius or ulna. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 **_I see such pretty things._ ** He whines softly at the hallucinations offering him rest. Shattered then starts to pet his skull. Tainted likes head pats and he leans into the touch. He calms down entirely and his tail starts to wag as Shattered moves his hand to rub one of Tainted’s ears. Tainted stares up at Shattered, the whole time. The screen flashes and he’s sitting in the dog bed next to Shattered’s throne looking at the barely visible hallucination of Dream. He smiles at it; he can almost see his master’s resemblance in the being. He wonders who it is. He stares in awe of the hallucination. So many colors, but they seem to give off what looks like a celeste shade of blue aura. He wonders how it would taste.

“FM comes in different colors, I believe.” He tries to explain what he’s thinking to the hallucination.

They tilt their skull in confusion. How could sound come in different colors? Tainted’s focus is immediately drawn back towards a room where pipes lead away towards another room. “In the soaking machine, I've lost myself.” The hallucination bends down to hug him, but Tainted swipes his claws at it. Telling him to stay away from him. One bad touch and it could be back in that machine. The others look confused. What machine? Cross tries to think of an answer, what could Ink mean if he said something like that? Then it hits him… Soaking is what Ink would call it if he spent more time than preferred in an ink or paint portal. He would call it that instead of being smothered. Cross covers his mouth as Tainted seems to turn towards the window, following the hallucination.

“Memories inside my heart are there to grieve.” He follows as more silhouettes of skeletons lead him into another room. As he walks in, the door closes. A moment later, the door opens and he runs out on all fours. He climbs up the wall onto the ceiling and then crawls into the vents with tears running down his face. His tail curls around his left leg as he hides. “Color-coded by the ‘love’ he gave to me.” He puts his hands over his eye sockets as he whines softly. The others are confused by what happened. A low humming sound fills the room, and one of Tainted’s ears twitches. “Ah, his voice, it speaks to me through the radio!” Tainted whines to himself. 

As he slowly starts to crawl out of the vents, the hallucination of Dream grabs Tainted’s pant leg and tries to pull him back into the vent. “Pressing tainted paint and ink into a misshaped mold.” Tainted whimpers as he stares down at himself. He knows that this isn’t what he’s supposed to look like. He just… Can’t remember what he was supposed to be. “Losing bobbins in the vents, is it so?” He jokes to himself. Everyone who knows the slang meaning of the word winces. No way that’s what he thinks of himself, right? As he lands on the floor, some of the threads holding the button in his eye socket snap, and lets out a yowl of pain. His hand flies up to his eye socket as more tears fill his other eye socket. His tail curls in on itself into a tight spiral. “Every day, it feels like seams are more than torn.” 

He sits there as the weight of the button causes more threads to snap. Desire walks around the corner before spotting Tainted. He gasps before making his way over to him, dropping his sythe off on the side. He carefully pulls Tainted’s hand away from his eye socket before noticing all of the button’s weight is being held by two threads at the top of Tainted’s eye socket. He carefully picks up Tainted and carries him away to another room. Tainted doesn’t fight back since Desire is nice, he can trust Desire to take him on walks and not rush him away from colors. He always is a nice shade of jam. Care… if he can remember right. That’s what he felt after tasting his color. Desire hums softly as he grabs a sewing kit from a cabinet. He has been against sewing a button into Tainted’s socket, but Lord Shattered asked for it. So then Tainted could build up a tolerance against people using it to gain information. Tainted rarely says anything that makes sense anyway, but whatever. Desire will just follow and listen to orders. Although, maybe he’ll change the color of his button this time.

“Buttoned patchwork!” Desire laughs softly as Tainted holds up two different colored buttons. Desire always lets him pick the color when he’s the one resewing the button. Tainted smiles before giving Desire the lovely violet-colored one. He likes violet. He also likes burgundy, black, and peacock blue. Desire nods before picking out a yellow thread to make it pop. Tainted points to the spool with a blank face. “The thread that's tied in knots.” Desire sighs as he nods. 

Everyone spots Yani standing there in the doorway. While Yani might not show it, he still remembers Tainted from before his corruption. And he still cares for the broken artist. Yani and Desire gave in quickly, which meant that their corruption was easier than Tainted’s. They still have their memories, given just barely, from before. However, it’s only left at what they were before becoming known as the fallen stars. Yani will protect the broken artist because he’s still his friend. Even if he bites, and doesn’t seem to be whole anymore. They both know that Shattered is long gone, Tainted might still be able to be saved. They can be as well, but it’s like a switch. These are small moments where they aren’t a danger to everyone or themselves. Desire softly repeats ‘Stitch, sew, cut, pull’ in a sing-song voice to distract Tainted from the pain. Tainted repeats it back to Desire with a small bounce in his voice as his tail wags slowly back and forth. Once he’s done, Desire hands him a small mirror, and Tainted looks at himself. He giggles as he uses a clawed finger to trace a crescent moon cradling a dot over the button. His white eye light changes to that exact shape before looking back at Desire and Yani. They treasure these moments when Tainted isn’t trying to bite them for getting too close. Or trying to eat them for their color.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Huh. That’s interesting.” Cross comments. “So, maybe they aren’t all gone.” Everyone smiles in relief. Nightmare smiles at the sight of the symbol.

“Some part of who they are is still there… Somewhere.”

“Is that Lust?” Dust squints.

“Yeah, I think so.” Blue nods.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tainted softly nods to Desire and Yani as he drops back to the floor from the table. He smiles at them again. “Hand-sew everything with kind intention!” Desire only arches an eyebrow ridge in confusion as Tainted runs off. Tainted runs to his room. Once he started playing along, he got his room, but he doesn’t use it often since he prefers his bed in the throne room. It’s much softer and can be heated from the sunlight during the day. He slides against the door as tears softly spill down his face. They’re a milky white to the surprise of the others. He brings a hand up to collect some of the tears before looking at them. “Liquid sound waves pour from my eyes.” He growls at the color before looking up. The phantom touches of someone caressing his cheekbones cause him to whine softly. Tainted looks at the hallucination of three skeletons. He focuses on the one in violet. “My heart cries out to you in desperation!” He reaches out to them as they seem to disappear. They aren’t tangible. No hallucination is. He whimpers again as his tail falls to the floor.

 **_Seven a.m. is when the station plays its sounds._ ** He brings his hands to his ears as they flatten against the hood. The radio static from before fills his room along with the same high pitched dog whistle. He falls to the floor in pain. He squeezes his right eye socket closed as the button keeps his left one open. His tail wraps around his right leg and squeezes to keep him grounded. He pants as he opens his eye socket as his door opens. **_Listening to the speaker while the patterns sew into place._ **

The screen flashes to Nightmare’s castle. And for the first time, they see what the others look like. They aren’t much different, except for the clothing. Nightmare’s outfit looks close to Dream’s only in purple and black. His boots have highlights of yellow. Error’s outfit is almost the same, only he is wearing his glasses. Killer’s seems the same as well except that he’s wearing a sleeveless turtleneck under his jacket. Killer props the eleven and a half-month-old Stain on his hip as he walks over to the other two. Stain stares at them sleepily as he makes grabby hands for Nightmare. Paperjam, older by just a few minutes, looks up from Error’s hand at Stain being passed to Nightmare. 

None of them look like they’ve slept. Reaper looks over from the couch, he hasn’t been able to touch his nephews because Ink hasn’t told him if he could yet. He was going to come over later that day to find out and celebrate with them. Even if Reaper is wearing gloves, he’s still worried about touching them. None of them have left the castle, neither have the rest of the Moon Sanses. Worry about the growing group of Sanses bring terror to the multiverse. Cross, Fresh, and Sona are the ones that try to protect the Aus for now. Outer, the only Star Sans that hasn’t gone missing, has kept an eye socket out and has spotted one of these Sanses. He also filmed them in OuterTale. The resemblance to Tainted was scary, but none of them wanted to accept it. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Are those… Our kids?” Error looks at them. He burns the image into his mind. Killer and Nightmare do the same. 

“Yes.” They look down at Ink, who has fresh tears in his sockets. “Jammy, Stain.” He murmurs into his hand. The trio looks back at them. 

“They’re beautiful.” Nightmare whispers.

Blue smiles, hopeful. He hopes that they can help those versions of his friends. He also coos at the babies. He remembers when Papyrus was just a baby in his arms as he made his way to Snowdin looking for a place to live. Dream sighs softly at the positivity coming from the four. Cross smiles at the babies. He wouldn’t mind being an uncle, although he probably will be very protective of them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Unmistakably, he'll return alive.” Reaper looks at them. He nods his head as he speaks. His brother can’t die, he should know this since he is the god of death. “His colors ought to show again.” The others nod. Paperjam babbles different words to Stain.

“Ba ‘n wite.” Stain giggles softly before facing Paperjam.

“bla an’ whi!” Stain tries to repeat. Paperjam shakes his skull at Stain’s attempt. 

“Ba ‘n wite!” Everyone in the room coos at the babies. No wonder Tainted is so determined to get back to them. Stain pouts for a moment.

“bla ‘n wite!” All of them smile at the babies. 

Error places Paperjam on the couch as he gets up and pushes up his glasses. He uses his strings to make a small baby sling. Paperjam would only behave with Error. **_No – blue and green and yellow and red._ ** Meaning that when Error goes to check on the Aus to look for Tainted, he has to take him with him. No matter how risky it is, Error is the only one that can create a portal quick enough to evade danger. **_The radio only plays in._ ** He places Paperjam in the sling, and the Cross in the room with the others snorts at the look. Error tightens it and Paperjam yawns. He grabs his jacket and uses it to conceal Paperjam the best he can. He nods to the others and they nod back. He wraps his scarf around his neck before letting one of the ends fall in front. Paperjam grabs the end and starts to chew on it. Error smiles softly at Paperjam before creating a portal. He jumps through it. **_Black and white and black and white._ **He starts his search in Outertale, knowing that it would also put Paperjam to sleep.

He looks around and talks to Outer as well. No luck. He looks down at Paperjam to find him asleep, with his scarf covered in slobber. **_And black and white and black and white._ ** He chuckles as he pulls his scarf out of Paperjam’s mouth before throwing it over his shoulder. He rubs his eye sockets as he creates another portal to another Au. He lands in the Snowdin of the Au. He looks down to see Paperjam curl closer to his chest. He smiles and brings a finger to gently rub against Paperjam’s cheek. **_No – blue and green and yellow and red._ ** Error huffs softly before reaching into his pocket. He pulls out the small blanket that Tainted had made for Paperjam. He tucks it around Paperjam before continuing to look around. He looks in the code of the Au before frowning. **_The radio only plays in._ ** He quickly hops to another Au. 

Something’s wrong here. 

It’s too quiet. He tightens the sling and brings an arm underneath it. **_Black and white and black and white._ ** Error carefully takes a step out of the forest to look around. No one is sight. He walks further into Snowdin. He quickly walks to the shop. He steps inside only to met with emptiness. He quickly checks for sweet bun buns. He smiles as he pockets a few. Paperjam like them, and so does Stain. **_And black and white and black and white._ ** He smiles as Paperjam seems to notice the scent of something sweet. Error smiles sadly as he carefully rips the bun into small pieces for Paperjam to eat. He wants to cry, he misses Tainted. Paperjam reminds him so much of Tainted. **_No – blue and green and yellow and red._ ** Paperjam turns his skull away when he’s done snacking. Error smiles before eating the rest of the bun. He wipes his hands on his shorts before wiping Paperjam’s face as well. **_The radio only plays in._ **

He stays on high alert as he exits the shop, uneasy about how empty it is. Even if this Au had a genocide route, there would still be some people here. **_Black and white and black and white._ ** Something is seriously wrong, and there isn’t anyone who can fix it. Error can’t fix Aus like Tainted. **_And black and white and black and white._ ** He stops as he hears a crunching sound from someone walking in the snow. He checks to see that Paperjam had his skull looking over to right with a look of curiosity, but dared not to make a sound. _**No – blue and green and yellow and red.**_ He lifts his skull to turns to the right. He freezes as he stares directly at Tainted. He tears up as he stares, he can tell that it’s Tainted. _**The radio only plays in.**_

But something’s wrong.

Tainted lowers more towards the ground, on all fours. His ears twitch as his tail sways back and forth slowly as a warning. He growls at Error. **_Black and white and black and white._ ** Error looks down at Paperjam in worry. He can’t bolt without running the risk of Tainted attacking him. Tainted takes a few steps forward. **_And black and white and black and white._ **

“Kiki? Is that you?” Tainted stops for a moment. Who’s Kiki? He looks behind him in case someone else is behind him. He turns back to face the familiar skeleton. He knows him. He can’t place where. He looks like that one hallucination. “Kiki, it’s me. Error.” 

Error takes a step forward and Tainted takes a step back. He lowers himself into the snow with another warning growl. **_No – blue and green and yellow and red._ ** Error stops before thinking. He takes one of the sweet bun buns out of his pocket. He waves it to Tainted. He always loved sweet things. Tainted smells it and something in his mind clicks into place. **_The radio only plays in._ ** It’s a sweet smell, it reminds him of someone. He walks closer as Error sets it down. Tainted looks up at him and Error gasps softly as he gets closer. He can see so many things wrong with Tainted, but the one thing that takes his attention is the red button in his left socket. The yellow thread holding it in place. **_Black and white and black and white._ ** Tainted quickly scarfs down the bun. He hasn’t had anything sweet in a while. His diet has mainly been scraps, paint, or the ‘dates’ that his master would take him on. Tainted licks his hands as he stares at Error. Error gulps as starts to get up from his crouch. 

Then Tainted’s eye light lands on Paperjam. 

He stops licking his hand and stares. Error freezes, unsure of what to do. Tainted takes a hesitant step forward. **_And black and white and black and white._ ** He stares at the baby. Paperjam stares back before giggling. He makes grabby hands to Tainted, just like he did on that day. Tainted blinks as the urge to take the baby grows stronger. He lets out a soft rumble as something else clicks. **_No – blue and green and yellow and red._ ** He knows that symbol. He looks down at his arms. **_The radio only plays in._ ** He stares down at the two white rectangles forming what looks like a glitch. He looks back at the taller skeleton. He’s important to Tainted, although he can’t remember why. He looks back down and then back at the baby. **_Black and white and black and white._ ** One. He found one. He knows that’s his baby. He lets out a whine of pain as he clutches his skull. It hurts. 

Something is gone when it shouldn’t be. **_And black and white and black and white._ ** Error stands up and Tainted snaps his head up at Error. _No, don’t take him away!_ Tainted whines louder as his ears flatten against his hood. His tail wraps around his leg. Error takes a step back. He doesn’t know what to do. **_No – blue and green and yellow and red._ ** Tainted’s whine slowly turns back into a growl. He knows this skeleton can be trusted, but he wants Jammy. Tainted lowers his body to the ground and takes a step forward. **_The radio only plays in._ ** Error brings an arm under the sling to keep it stable. Tainted blinks as he tries to figure out why. **_Black and white and black and white._ ** Error takes a small step back before bolting. **_And black and white and black and white._ **Tainted whines before chasing. 

He chases after Error, and as he looks back only to be surprised. Everyone else in the room is surprised as well as Tainted’s facial expression isn’t one of anger. **_No – blue and green and yellow and red._ ** Tears fall from Tainted’s eye sockets as he chases Error. He can’t fully place who this skeleton is, but he felt an ache when he turned away. He feels a pull and somewhere in his mind is something telling him to follow. He speeds up, using his tail to help his balance as he runs on all fours. **_The radio only plays in!_ ** Error panics and creates a portal quickly. He heads to the portal and hears a loud cry from behind him. His soul hurts hearing Tainted’s cry. He makes it through the portal and Tainted pushes onto two legs, regardless that it was faster on all fours. 

Something about this skeleton. 

Something is making something inside him trust him. As Error skids to a stop, Tainted reaches into one of the shawls and grabs something out. **_These aren't the colors I should see!_ **Error quickly turns around and his eye sockets widen at the height of Tainted. Tainted grabs the object tightly before throwing it towards the portal. Error quickly closes the portal, but not before the object makes its way through. Error grabs the object flying towards him. He opens his hand to look at it, but the others in the room can’t see it. He stares at it in confusion before quickly making his way back to Nightmare’s castle to tell them the news.

“FM comes in different colors, I believe.” Tainted cries as he rocks back and forth. That was Error. He remembered his name one second too late. His crying comes to a stop as Shattered walks in front of him. Tainted’s tail curls around his body as he stares up at Shattered in fear. He doesn’t like that Tainted remembered. He sighs. More work for him. Tainted shakes his skull as his ears flatten against his hood. “In the smothering machine, I lose myself!” 

Shattered croons softly to Tainted before pulling him towards a door. Tainted cries out in sobbing screeches. Yani and Desire look away. They can’t do anything since they can’t just come back from the dead like Tainted. Shattered feels on the negative emotions of Tainted. They aren’t unpleasant but they aren’t the most desired emotions that Shattered feeds off of. He can feed off of negativity but prefers positivity more. Draining the negative emotions from Tainted as his shrilly screeches are reduced to hiccuping whimpers. A blip forward happens and Tainted gasps for breath as he fights against drowning in the tainted feeling paint. The chain attached to a weight at the bottom of the pool keeps him barely above the paint. He thrashes against it, his body has grown to reject the paint, realizing that it’s corrupted. He spots the hallucination of Dream again.

“‘Memories inside my heart are there to grieve!’” Dream recites back to Tainted, and Tainted’s eye sockets widen. He didn’t think that the hallucination was listening. Tears fall from Dream’s sockets. “‘Color-coded by the love he gave to me.’” Dream takes a deep breath in as he closes his eye sockets. 

Tainted continues to try and keep his head above the corrupted paint. As he slowly starts to lose his stamina, he starts to sink more. **_Ah, his voice, it speaks to me through the radio._ ** Tainted stares at nothing as the hallucination dives into the pool after him. Pressing tainted paint and ink into a misshaped mold. His eye sockets widen as Dream grabs onto his form. Tainted starts to choke on the paint. He squeezes his eye sockets closed, ripping the threads holding the button in place. Losing bobbins under tables, is it so? He slowly stops moving as his form falls apart in Dream’s hold. Dream screams out in agony as he tries to figure out what is corrupted paint and what it Tainted. Every day, it feels like seams are more than torn. He flies out of the paint as he cries. There isn’t any way to know where he could be before he reforms. He holds the button close before flying away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone sits there in silence for a moment.

“That was brutal.” Dust states as he rubs his eye sockets with the heel of his hands. 

Blue sits there. Never has the thought occurred to him that Ink could drown in paint. He looks over to Ink, who’s shaking. He doesn’t want to remember that moment. The feeling of void and code entering his mouth. How it slithered into his sockets. How it-

“Ink?” Ink turns to Error. He lets out a small whimper, he can’t pretend to be strong. He’s scared. What he saw scares him. He doesn’t want that to happen anytime soon, but they have his code. Error grabs him and holds him close. Nightmare and Killer also hug him, they stay like that for a moment. “It’s okay, Ink. We’re right here. And you’re here with us.” Ink smiles gratefully as he holds them close. Cross smiles before holding Dream close. They all can rest a little easier knowing that some form of that Dream isn’t completely gone. They all just pray that whoever is shown next is better than what they just saw. Or maybe some more explanation. 

“Yoo hoo~ Dreamy~” They all look towards the screen to see Bani holding a plushie of Dream. “You want to know what happened? Well then. Let me show you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, to clear something up: In the main multiverse, Paperjam and Stain were created by leftover bits of Error and Nightmare's magic. Ink went back to a battlefield to look for something, he can't remember what, and when he created a portal to go home, the creation magic in his paintbrush caused the two magics to mix. And thus, Paperjam and Stain were born. However, in the... let's call it the flipped script multiverse, Stain and PJ are fraternal twins. Two different fathers, but both were conceived at the same time. Paperjam was born two minutes earlier than Stain, tho.


	15. Dreams don't shatter themselves for a Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shatter me - Lindsey Stirling  
> I'm the bad guy - Caleb Hyles  
> Nightmare - NateWantsToBattle  
> Believe - Mcki Robyns-P

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I would've had it done last night, but my laptop died before I could finish!

“No. No more! We don’t want to see anymore.” Cross shouts at Bani. Dream holds up a hand.

“Wait. Crossy. I want to find out what happened. I-I need to know.” Nightmare looks back at his twin.

“Dream.” Dream looks down at his hand before hiding it again.

“No. I need to know. So then it can be avoided here. I need to know, brother. How am I a ghost? How is Shattered ‘me’ at the same time? Why can’t others see me in that multiverse?” Cross looks away at the last question. That would be due to X-Chara, Ink can see ghosts like those. Bani’s mask cracks more as they smile wickedly at Dream. Dream stares directly at Bani with a determined stare. “Show me what happened.”

“Sure thing Dreamy~” They giggle at the end. “Call me if you think you would like to try this.” Dream pulls away in disgust as the window darkens.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They watch as Shattered, as Dream, cuts a portal with his pair of scissors. Almost every Sans has a pair, except those who can create their own portals. He closes the portal behind him as he sniffles. He turns around and everyone sees him in tears with a golden blush highlighting his face. **I pirouette in the dark** **.** He sighs and wipes his eye sockets as he walks towards a tree. Nightmare and Dream’s eye sockets widen as they see a new Tree of Feelings. Shattered walks over to it, looking at the different apples. He falls to the ground in front of the tree and cries. He lets out a wet chuckle as he tries to calm down. 

“Kids. He’s having twins.” Shattered chuckles as he continues to cry. “I guess it does run in the family.”

He sits there crying for a few more minutes before calming down. He wipes his sockets one last time before standing up. **_I see the stars through me._ ** He rests his skull against the tree before pulling away. He turns away and starts to walk away. As he walks away, he shutters and blows on his hands. He stops walking in confusion, it’s never cold in this Au. He made sure of it. **_Tired mechanical heart._ ** He stares down at his hands only to notice them turning to stone. He gasps before letting out pulses of positive energy to stop it. He looks around in confusion before continuing to walk away. As he gets ready to cut another portal, something hits the back of his skull. 

“Ow!” 

He stands up and looks around. He squints at the dark shadow near the tree before looking down. His sockets widen in fear and shock as he stares down at the apple. The beautiful teal shimmer that makes the apple glow in the moonlight is now a murky void. He stumbles back. **_Beats til the song disappears._ ** He brings an arm up to defend himself from the next apple thrown at him. He catches it to see a golden positivity apple. He stares at it before noticing that the other apple is not a negativity apple, but a corrupted positivity apple. 

He gasps as he drops the apple. **_Somebody shine a light._ ** He summons an arrow and shoots it off in the direction of the shadow. Shattered uses the glow of his arrow to try and see the person throwing apples. **_I'm frozen by the fear in me._ ** He squints as the arrow gets closer to the shadow. His sockets widen in fear, and the others can’t see what he’s looking at. He can’t get a word out as he shakes and stutters. He quickly turns around and starts running. **_Somebody make me feel alive._ ** Dropping his portal scissors on the ground. He runs as fast as he can, but the others can’t tell what he’s running from. Dream looks at Shattered’s hands and silently gasps. **_And shatter me._ ** Shattered looks down at his hands before gasping himself. 

“B-BROTH-” He never gets to finish.

His whole body, in a matter of seconds, turns to stone. **_So cut me from the line._ ** Everyone gasps in shock at his terrified expression. Dream shutters and brings his hands to his opposite shoulders before squeezing them. He knows what it’s like to be in stone. Nightmare’s sockets widen in fear as he notices Shattered rocking back and forth. When Dream had turned to stone, he was solid on both feet. Shattered turned to stone mid-step. His right foot off the ground as his left is only touching the ground by the front of his foot. **_Dizzy, spinning endlessly._ ** He continues to rock back and forth, gaining more and more momentum as he continues to move. Then something pulls him back. **_Somebody make me feel alive_**. Everyone’s sockets widen as they notice Shattered’s statue move in a way that’s not natural. As if someone was moving it themselves. **_And shatter me!_ ** With a final push, Shattered’s statue falls towards the ground. Everyone winces as his statue shatters as glass would against the ground. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Dream!” Cross cries out as he watches the statue fracture. He moves to hold Dream close to his chest. Dream can only gasp for breath as he watches. He can’t look away. He can’t breathe. He can’t think.

“B-brother!” Nightmare whimpers out as he stares at the statue pieces on the ground. He clings to Killer, Error, and Ink. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone watches in horror as a pure golden apple starts to rise from the pile of rubble. The soul pulses softly, ready to slow into nothing. Suddenly, the shadow jumps out towards the soul. Surrounding it in a shroud of darkness. Pure hate and corruption. The soul, in fear of what’s happening, falls to the rubble in search of safety. The shadow covers the rubble and starts to revolve around it, picking up smaller chunks. In a matter of seconds, the statue of Shattered is reconstructed. The shadow seeps into the cracks in smaller chunks missing. Filling in the spaces and holding him together. Everyone stares in confusion and horror as Shattered’s soul moves around the statue as if inspecting it. It hovers in front of Shattered’s chest before getting closer. The shadow latches onto it and starts to pull it closer to the statue. The soul struggles against the shadow to break free and get to safety. The shadow pierces the soul, filling it with corruption. A pitch-black tar-like substance oozes from between the cracks of the statue before flowing out of the empty sockets and open mouth. Covering the statue and dripping onto the grass below him. The figure of Shattered starts to move. Falling forward onto the grass before breathing softly. He grips the grass tightly before chuckling. A wicked smile spreads on his face under the tar-like substance. He raises his arms towards the moon.

“Shatter me!” He screams out in pain as he collapses onto himself. He makes a choking sound before going silent. He stands up soon enough afterward. He takes a deep breath in and smirks. “Somebody make me feel alive, then shatter me!” 

He spreads his arms out to the moon before curling his fingers into fists. With a powerful burst of power, the substance disappears. Everyone watches as his eye lights flicker to a rich hazelnut before becoming golden again. He smirks as he looks down at his hands. He scoffs as he looks at his clothes. 

“You really do have poor taste in clothing.” He states as he stares next to him. It’s only then does everyone notice that the ghost of that Dream is floating right next to Shattered.

“What did you do?!” The ghost screams out, in tears. **_(For simplicity, Ghost is flipped-script’s Dream before ‘becoming’ Shattered. So it’s easier than writing ghost Dream every single time. So the ghost Dream from here on out is dubbed Ghost._ **)

“Nothing yet. But I big plans. Big. Plans.” 

Shattered’s eye sockets widen as he stares crazed at Ghost. Ghost gasps softly before pulling away. Shattered huffs in satisfaction before straightening out his crown and clothes. He giggles as he picks up the scissors and skips away closer to the tree. Ghost floats for a moment before being pulled along with Shattered. Shattered smiles as he watches the golden positivity apples rot with corruption. He turns to Ghost and mouths ‘you did this.’ Ghost whimpers before crying at the loss of another tree. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So… That’s not even that Dream. Is it? It’s someone else in his body.” Blue stares at Shattered in apprehension before turning to Dream. Dream hasn’t moved a twitch as he stares in disbelief at the window. 

“I guess so.”

“Brother, no... I’m sorry I let this happen.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They watch as Shattered takes over Ghost’s life. Always nearby was Ghost floating. On the days that Shattered would visit Ghost’s brother and Nightmare would hold a baby, Ghost would fly around behind him to look at the baby’s face. Whether it is Paperjam or Stain, Ghost loved both babies very much. He rather be the uncle once, when Shattered visited Tainted to keep up appearances, he saw how much Stain liked to bounce on Nightmare’s legs; and how he would become a goopy mess when crying out for Tainted, leaving puddles of goop behind. The screen flashes to show Ghost looking at a door in grief. They notice the thin, long-chain connected to a collar on Ghost. 

“If only the clockworks could speak… I wouldn't be so alone.” He flies through the door to see Tainted sitting there in the cage. Tainted spots him, but doesn’t move an inch. Ghost pulls away before leaving. He can’t do anything to convince Tainted that he isn’t a hallucination. “We burn every magnet and spring. And spiral into the unknown.” 

Ghost runs his hands against the stone making up the walls. He wipes his sockets as he passes by a few more rooms. He whimpers as he’s suddenly yanked backward by the chain. Shattered stops him from getting too close to be able to leave, even if he hates Ghost. Ghost waits until the tension of the chain leaves before slumping down and grabbing his chest right where his soul would be. He pants as sweat collects on his skull. He can’t do much without magic or a body. The screen flashes again. Ghost is held down on his knees in a kneeling pose as a heavy bolder holds the chain in place. Shattered climbs onto the boulder and stares down at Ghost with a crazed smile. He saw Tainted as he was and now he wants him. He wants him. So he will have him. Forget the amount of chaos he initially wanted to create, he wants Tainted. 

“Somebody please shine a light.” Ghost whimpers as it grows darker around him and Shattered. “I'm frozen by the fear in me.” Ghost begins to shake as Shattered starts to pulse out an aura powerful enough to shake the Tree of Feelings. 

“Somebody make me feel alive, and shatter me!” Shattered turns his attention towards the sky in time for the sunrise. He breathes heavily as he stares at the rising sun. He flexes his fingers before balling them back into fists. “So cut me from the line!” He does a twirl with a giddy smile as he thinks about how to get his pet to him. “Dizzy, spinning endlessly!” He almost falls off the boulder. “Somebody make me feel alive-” 

As he spins on the tip of his foot, he turns into stone again. As his statue continues to spin from the momentum left in it, Ghost looks up to notice the amount of apples on the tree has declined. It’s then that it dawns on him that all those apples missing are back in Shattered’s castle’s kitchen. 

“And shatter me!” With his final cry, Shattered’s statue falls once again over the edge of the boulder and out of sight. It goes silent for a second before a dark figure shoots up into the air. “Shatter me!” Shattered does a spin in the air as he continues up into the air before spreading out a large set of wings. Everyone’s jaws drop as they stare at the dark angel figure in the sky. “Somebody make me feel alive!” He dives down to the boulder and slams his feet into it, cracking it down the middle. “And shatter me!” His aura pulses stronger and Ghost tries to breathe. His wings split apart to create tentacles instead.

The screen flashes to Ghost staring out the window. He notices Blue and Lust making their way towards the castle. He screams at them and tries to pull them away, only for them to not notice. He lets out a wail as he watches Tainted drop down from the ceiling in front of them and attacking them. **_If I break the glass, then I'll have to fly._ ** The screen flashes again to show Outer, checking his phone, walking towards the castle. Ghost screams at him before grabbing a rock from the shelf. To everyone’s surprise, mainly Ghost’s, the rock goes flying and hits Outer on the skull, causing him to bleed. **_There's no one to catch me if I take a dive._ **Ghost watches as Outer looks around before sighing and leaving to go clean his wound. Ghost gasps and smiles as he watches his friend leave. He breaks down as he slides down the wall in relief. 

The screen flashes again as it shows Ghost sitting there with Tainted’s head on his lap. It took a while for Tainted to trust Ghost, still believing that it’s a hallucination rather than a ghost. **_I'm scared of changing, the days stay the same._ ** He softly strokes Tainted’s skull before noticing Tainted feel asleep. He smiles sadly at him before leaving the room. He makes his way over to where Lust and Blue are being held. He sighs sadly at the sight of corruption surrounding them. **_The world is spinning but only in gray._ ** He spreads his arms out towards them. Pulling some of the corruption away before defusing it into the air, causing it to disappear. He weakly smiles at the two before raising a hand to his chest. He coughs up golden blood as his figure wavers from using magic he shouldn’t be. **_If I break the glass, then I'll have to fly._ ** He lets out a huff of air as he slides down the wall. 

“There's no one to catch me if I take a dive.” He grips his shirt tightly as he continues to huff in pain. He looks up at the vents before getting up. He hears a familiar sound in the vents and chuckles. “I'm scared of changing, the days stay the same.” He mumbles as a familiar skull and hood peak from the vent. One of his ears twitches before Tainted opens his sockets to look at Ghost. Ghost smiles weakly at him before almost falling. Tainted looks conflicted, knowing something that Ghost does not. At least, that’s what it seems like, Tainted becomes more and more unpredictable with everything he does. “The world is spinning but only in gray.” Tainted tilts his head before nodding gently. He hopes down from the vent and his tail swishes against the floor as he gets closer to Ghost. He sits down and waits as his friend rests. As they sit there against the wall, Ghost starts to gently rub one of Tainted’s ears, causing a soft rumble to come from him.

Ghost sighs gently. “I guess you’re the only one who can see me, right Ink?” Tainted doesn’t move to look at him. He continues to stare directly at Ink through the glass as if he could see him. However, he’s only staring at the wall, which happened to be the glass as well. “Ink?” Tainted still doesn’t move. Ghost notices how Tainted’s eye light grows duller before becoming a solid white. He then turns his attention to the wall. “Hmm? What are you staring at, my friend? It’s just a wall there-”

“Screen.” Tainted mumbles out. He then shifts to sit properly on the floor and the black paint on his arms shrinks back to his hands. 

“Hmm?”

“Screen.” Tainted tilts his head as he narrows his eye sockets at them.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Can he see us?” Killer looks around in alarm. No one knows what to do. Dream looks over at Tainted and relaxes a little. Knowing that even if that’s someone else in his body, Tainted at least has some part of that Dream with him. 

“I’m not sure.” Cross gulps at the glare Tainted gives them without knowing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ghost softly sighs. “Tainted,” finally Tainted’s attention is on Ghost, “that’s just a wall.” Tainted shakes his head.

“Not the only one.” He looks away and down at the palm of his hand. A white line of what used to be a tattoo comes from his wrist and takes its place on his palm. The line turns into a sideways lightning bolt and Cross gently touches his scar. Ghost stares at Tainted in confusion. “No, other. Bolt. Bolt can see.” He holds his palm out for Ghost to see, and Ghost’s eye sockets widen. “Bolt could always see him. Hearts are strung together with X. Hearts dance together. They rely on each other. Forever together.” Cross picks up what Tainted is speaking about. X-Chara. Their soul. Ghost on the other hand barely seems to understand what Tainted is saying.

“‘Bolt’? Like Cross’s scar?” No response, but the look on Tainted’s face says that Ghost is right. “So Cross could see me?” Tainted wraps the chain around his hand. “So I just need to find Cross to send him a message! To get help!” Tainted’s ears flatten against his hood. As much as he kind of likes the plan, he isn’t the only one here that can hear Ghost. “Isn’t that great, Ink? I can go and get help!” Only then does Ghost notice the change in Tainted’s behavior. “Ink?” 

Tainted lets go of the chain to softly whine. Ghost is about to hold him to calm him down when a tug on the chain pulls him away from Tainted and into another room. Tainted slowly follows behind him. Master heard them talking. His tail curls around his leg as he lets his body turn into an ink puddle. He keeps his rib cage and up out of the puddle as the puddle slides against the flooring. He follows Ghost through the hallways towards the grand throne room. Ghost thrashes against the chain that Shattered holds. Desire and Yani both stand there in another doorway. Yani rolls his eyes at the two of them as he continues to play with his knife. He tosses it into the air before turning his body to the side and the knife falling into its sleeve. 

He turns back and leans against the doorframe as he watches Tainted crawl over to his bed right next to them. Desire looks down at him and stares at him. Tainted looks back at him. Desire bends down and gently pats Tainted between the ears, causing him to flinch, before bending down and holding out some scraps of meat to him. Tainted looks at it before noticing the bone fragments in it. He stares at it for its color. Jam. Hearts must have bled on it. Desire gives off a hot pink color, not like his playmate. For some reason, his playmate, Hearts, seems to share the same body as Desire. He can’t remember their name so he calls them Hearts based on their eye lights when they are there. He gently bites it and pulls it away from Desire with a soft growl. He pulls into the other corner of his bed and starts to rip into the meat. His eye sockets widen when the color hits him. It’s enough to calm him for now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Stars, I hope that’s not what I think it is.” Blue brings a hand to his mouth. His magic churning in disgust. Ink’s sockets widen when he sees the jam color paint Tainted’s face along with the blood from the fresh meat.

“Which Sans was that?” He mutters under his breath as he covers his mouth. 

Not many people know other than him, but every Sans has a color. One that he can associate feelings with, mainly because their Au would be the one where that color was first found for him. If he hadn’t created those endless springs leading into rivers of colors in the Doodle Sphere, he would probably have had to do some… questionable… things to feel those emotions again. Killer shoots him a questioning and startled look. Nightmare also looks at him. Error looks back at Ink in confusion before it dawns on him what Ink was talking about. He knows since there wasn’t much to do on that Island other than getting to know each other.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ghost struggles against the collar, digging his fingers into it to get more room between it and his vertebrae. Shattered tsks at him.

“Don’t you ever learn? You can’t get help. You’re hopeless. Useless. Nothing.” Tainted stares at Ghost with a soft look. The full effects of Heart’s blood hit him and he cares for Ghost. Wishing him safe, but daring not to move. Ghost looks at Tainted and then back at Shattered.

“I'm not the damsel in distress!” Shattered scoffs and pulls the chain tighter. Ghost’s eye lights roll up as he starts to choke. While Ghost may be a ghost in appearance, he can still feel pain and possibly die. However, if he does die, he gives up any chance of ever taking back his body. Shattered then throws Ghost to the ground.

“I'm not your girlfriend. Or the frightened princess!” Shattered spits into Ghost’s face. Yani rolls his eye lights. To Desire and him, Shattered is yelling and talking to nothing. But again, best to let him do what he wants. “I'm not a little bird,” Shattered connects his tentacles to create wings. He flies over to his throne and drags Ghost along with him. He sits down on his throne and stares down at Ghost. The chains ease and Ghost sits up on his knees as he stares up at Shattered. “Who needs your help to fly.” Shattered brings a hand to his face as he smirks. “Nope! I'm the bad guy.” He levels a glare at Ghost who, unknowingly, is in front of the window. Everyone in the room shutters from the glare. Shattered studies Ghost with a cat-like stare, unwavering and unnerving. “All these former heroes that you see.” He points to Yani, Tainted, and Desire. “Each of them, with shaking knees has knelt before me.” 

He turns his stare to them. Yani kneels with a fist over his soul. Desire does a soft bow leading into kneeling. He shakes for a moment as Lust makes himself known before Desire takes control again. Shattered narrows his socket at him for a moment before turning to Tainted. Tainted stares back at him with a growl. Shattered stares into his socket with a silent message none of them know, but it was enough for Tainted. His tail curls around his leg and he gets down in a kneeling position. His ears flatten as much as they can as Tainted pushes himself lower against the floor. Shattered smirks in triumph before turning back to Ghost.

“So I'm not your teammate or your partner in crime.” He puts the chain tight before stepping on it, pinning Ghost to the ground. Tainted’s eye light notices something and a tattoo appears on his palm. He has to remember that. Shattered turns to the others. “What am I, boys?”

“He's the bad guy.” Tainted growls out. Yani and Desire look at him as if he’s said the wrong thing. But Shattered doesn’t respond badly. Instead, he smiles as he stares down at Ghost.

“Oh, it's magic!” His eye light contracts in insanity. “To watch an Au shrivel up and die!” Tainted, upon hearing this, snarls loudly but doesn’t dare move. He needs those. For emotions. How dare he try and take those away from Tainted. “Oh, it's thrilling! To be a villain!” Shattered steps off of the chain and walks closer to the window. He doesn’t know that there’s a window, but he continues to ‘talk’ to Ghost. “I destroy their hopes and then I watch them cry!” He steps in front of Ghost bending down to his height. “'Cause I'm the bad guy!” His eye light becomes nothing but a pinprick as his mouth melts together. More corruption oozes out of his socket and mouth as his voice becomes distorted. Everyone in the room either flinches or jumps at the distorted sound of his voice. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Holy shit.” Dust mumbles as he stares at Shattered. Dream stares at him in complete fear. 

“Did I ever look like that?”

“No, Nighty. He’s scarier.” Killer replies holding onto Ink. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shattered pulls away and sits back on his throne. He brings a finger to his lower jaw. “Actually…” He closes his socket as he waves his hand at Ghost. “I'm not the bad guy!” He shrugs and everyone stares at him as if he’s grown a second head. “I'm just a bit surprising…” He nods to himself as if that word fits him better. “It's not worth losing sleep. It's not worth analyzing.” Shattered lets go of the chains as he shakes his skull. He stares directly at Ghost with a small smirk. “There was a time, not so long ago at all, I was just like you.” He brings a tentacle to Ghost’s chain, gripping it tightly. “Can you hear my call?” He growls under his breath as he gets into Ghost’s personal space. Ghost grits his teeth as he grabs onto the chain as well. Shattered’s eye light widens before contracting in insanity again. “Oh, ain't it fantastic?” Ghost and everyone stare in confusion at Shattered wondering what he would say next. “I see something,” his eye light latches onto Tainted and the others stare at him as well as he looks up in confusion. “I stab it!” 

Suddenly, a tentacle shoves its way through Tainted’s mouth and spears through the back. Everyone watches in horror as Tainted’s form shakes and his eye light goes out. Everyone watches as he shakes before going deathly still and then shaking again. He slides off the tentacle before falling backward. He twitches as his body becomes ink and paint. He starts to deform and sits there in a puddle for a moment before coming back. Desire and Yani both flitch. Tainted is the only one who can die more than once, but even then it isn’t pretty. Shattered smirks at the disturbed expression on Ghost as he brings the same tentacle he used to stab Tainted with, down to cup Ghost’s jaw.

"And let me tell you why!" Shattered stares dead into Ghost’s sockets. "I always had a weakness." He steps away from his face and smiles as he walks towards Tainted, who wants to stay away from Shattered the most. Tainted whimpers as Shattered approaches, scared enough to want to run away, but also scared of the consequences of running away. "For barrenness and bleakness." Shattered smiles as stands behind Tainted. "I crush all your hopes!"

He presses his hands against Tainted’s temples and Ghost watches in horror as Tainted whimpers and lays his hands over Shattered. His eye sockets widen, and his ears flatten, and his curl wraps around his leg tightly as the pressure on his skull increases. In a second, Shattered’s hands were together and Tainted’s skull was nowhere. Lost in the blink of an eye as his arms go slack and he falls forward. He lays there on the floor not moving as Desire and Yani shiver. That could be them, and they don’t want to risk it. Ghost and the others in the room cry out to Tainted.

“And then I watch you cry!” His smile seems to reach the bottom of his eye sockets as he stares at Ghost. Shattered walks back to his throne. Ghost tries to crawl over to Tainted before stopping and staring up at Shattered. Shattered never really cared about how much he hurt Tainted. Tainted was his pet, his property. Besides, he loved the terrified expressions Tainted shows around him. Or when he overdoses on different colors of paint. But Ghost still cares. That’s his friend who’s been there since the beginning. “See, I find this business rather fun!” Shattered giggles as he throws his head back. He looks over at Ghost with a scoff. “I don't want your assistance or your adulation.” He turns and sits sideways on his throne. Resting his legs on an armrest and laying the back of his ribcage on the other armrest. His smirk seems to almost reach his eye socket. “I'll vaporize your Au! And bid you bye-bye!” He giggles again as he waves to Ghost. He takes an audible deep breath in and he closes his socket. “Why?” He turns to Yani and Desire. “Come on, guess!” He growls lowly. Tainted sits up.

“‘Cause, you’re the bad guy.” 

Shattered nods with a giggle before grabbing the chain and throwing Ghost into another room. Tainted follows him to see if he’s okay. Desire and Yani both shrug before walking away. Shattered smirks before teleporting somewhere else. Tainted follows the smears of light yellow paint to find Ghost. He accidentally steps in a fresh splash of paint and stares at his hand in fear for a moment. Light yellow is addictive to him. So easy for him to crave more. He starts to drool as he stares at his palm stained in the paint. Ink holds his breath. He understands how easy it is to overdose on almost any shade of yellow. Most were good and made him feel good too. He smiles and sighs in relief as he watches Tainted quickly wipe it off on the rug. Tainted shakes his skull and dares not to wipe the drool in fear of consuming the paint as well. He continues to follow the paint to the source. He whines softly.

“Yellow. Paint flowing. Light yellow.” He looks around at the mess in worry as care still runs through his bones. “Not cracked like glass. Not a bad thing, but where does the paint flow?” Tainted looks before Ghost gently nudges his face away from his side. He chuckles softly at his friend.

“Ink, it’s okay. I’ll be okay. Now just rest with me, okay?” Tainted whimpers before curling against Ghost’s side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So, some part of the original Tainted is still there? At least just a little piece?” Dust watches the interaction before turning to Cross and Nightmare.

“It seems like it.”

“The amount of paint to the amount of time it lasts is better than my original paint times. Unless he bled on it more than once.” Ink whispers to himself as he notices the lingering tint of jam in his eye light.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ghost chuckles softly as he gently pets Tainted between the ears. Tainted relaxes to the touch as he closes his right eye socket fully. His left one won't close completely unless Tainted squeezes his sockets closed. His left one will remain half-lidded when resting because of the button forcing his socket open for so long. Fortunately, he proved to Shattered that he doesn't respond to pain near his socket anymore. The magic that would allow him to feel anything near his sockets was frayed and fizzled away. Thus leading to the button being removed for the final time. Ghost was there to hold Tainted close. Being the only one to show kindness during his stay here, Tainted is more loyal to Ghost. Gentle enough to never intentionally harm him, and his mind barely holding together to know that kindness is something to be trusted. He may not remember much, and what he can is corrupted, but he knows that kindness is rare and should be trusted. The main reason being that no one else here really showed any kindness. While he can somewhat think for himself, he'll listen to Ghost more often than not. If Ghost tells him to do something, he'll do it. Ghost can also control him fifty percent of the time when he isn't calm but feral. But that doesn't stop Tainted from doing things he regrets.

Tainted purrs softly as he dozes off on Ghost’s side. Ghost smiles softly. "Just sleep, just dream." He continues to stroke between Tainted’s ears as he brings his other hand to hold the small fractured bone. “Just sleep, just dream.” 

Tainted barely opens his socket to stare at Ghost before falling asleep. Ghost smiles as they rest there, out of sight from the others. Desire and Yani won’t actively search out for them nor would Shattered. The screen flashes to show Tainted crawling in the vents as Ghost flies around him. The vents are big enough for both of them to be side by side as he crawls. In Tainted’s mouth is a small corked bottle with swirling magic. He crawls to a hiding place that only he can reach since it’s in the ceiling. Ghost trails behind him rubbing at a socket. It’s a little past two in the morning, and Tainted was persistent that he must go to so many different spots before his true hiding spot in fear of being followed. Not that anyone else could reach the ventilation system, but better safe than sorry. As Tainted hides the glass bottle, Ghost yawns. 

“Just sleep, just dream.” The screen flashes again. Ghost wanders the halls as he looks for his friend. He finds him but after staring at the scene before him, he quickly runs the other way. Leaving the others in a state of confusion. He shakes his skull as he continues to walk away. “In the back of my mind, I was trying to chase a monster this whole time.” He brings a hand to his sockets as he wipes his tears. “But I couldn't see… The monster was me.” He glances down at the chain following him and hears a soft whine of confusion from the side of him. He doesn’t jump, as Tainted tends to do this a lot, and pats Tainted on the top of his skull. “And no one heard our cries.” He leans down to press his skull to Tainted’s. He pulls away with eye sockets raw from crying. “Now I've run out of tears.” He smiles sadly at Tainted as Tainted tilts his skull to the side in confusion. “The time's come for me to disappear.” Tainted nods, thinking it was a command, and walks to about a foot of chain from the collar and breaks it. Ghost’s sockets widen in surprise. He never tried to ask Tainted to break the chains, he just assumed that Tainted couldn’t. Tainted walks back to him and grabs his hands. Holding Ghost’s hands softly, to not potentially hurt him with his claws, he looks at Ghost in the socket. The others notice that the paint on his arms shrinks back to just his hands.

“Get me out of this mess… And away from this stress.” Ghost gasps softly at the actual sentence spoken. Tainted rarely says anything that makes sense anymore, the most they can get is one or two words. That's before his sentences become less understandable. He smiles softly with a nod and Tainted nods before jumping into the vents again. Ghost watches and listens to him crawl to his room. Fresh tears prick at the corners of his sockets as he takes a deep breath.

"Set them free so they can rest!" He grabs onto the crown on his skull as he cries out. His tears drip onto the floor, leaving tangible tears there. "They’re only Stars who lost their way!" How does he start now? How can he make it right? Where does he go to find help? He curls in on himself. "But if we wait long enough then we'll be saved!" He tries to smile. He can't. He doesn't know what to do. The pressure of not being able to do anything has made him think he can't do anything. He squeezes his sockets closed as he cries. "Just sleep, just dream!" He tries to push out a positive aura but finds himself unable. If he had a physical form, he would be stone. "This isn't fair! No, they're not just what they seem!" He lets go of his crown as he sinks to the floor. His tears cloud his vision as his eye lights waver. He raises his hand out to the window. "We want to fly, but our souls are trapped inside!" He cries out as he tries to flap his non-existent wings. He hid them for so long. Only for them to be stripped away by Shattered. Who took his physical wings and burned them to ashes. He curls his fingers into fists as he cries. “It's not a game! Not to blame! They're forced to hide!” He bangs his fist against the wall as hard as he can as he screams. The others flinch at his volume since Dream rarely gets that loud. Not that many people would hear him anyway. He opens his sockets as he grits his teeth at the floor. “Just sleep, just dream.” He tries again to smile and push positivity into the environment. He fails again. He covers his eye sockets with his hands as he cries again. “It's only a nightmare,” his eye sockets widen, and his tears slow. He pulls his hands away in a moment of thought. “And soon we'll be set free.” He smiles for real as a thought comes to him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Brother. That me can help! Somehow, I’m sure that they can all find a way to help.” Nightmare reassures Dream as he pats his back. Dream nods softly as he wipes his tears.

“Dream, I’m sure that it isn’t your fault. First of all, that isn’t you. You’re right here in my arms. Second of all, that Dream is doing whatever he can to keep the others away from being completely broken. Okay?” Blue gently rubs circles on Dream’s back as he hugs him a little tighter to ground him. Cross smiles and joins the hug. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They watch as Ghost quickly goes flying from room to room looking for something or someone. Ghost is determined to find his brother and find help. For his friends and for his nephews to have their mama back. He stops once he sees Cross or Bolt as Tainted called him. His back is to Ghost and notices Tainted in front of him. Tainted tackles Bolt to the ground with a snarl. In a second, that not many caught onto, Tainted slipped a glass bottle into Bolt’s hand before jumping off of him. He only hopes that Bolt knows what to do with it. All he remembers is that it’s a key of some sort. Bolt stands up the same moment as Tainted jumps off him, to give the illusion that he threw Tainted off. The only thing keeping him safe is his knowledge of Tainted’s speech patterns and his scar. Ghost uses that distraction to tie the broken chain to Bolt’s outfit. 

He gently latches onto the outfit as Bolt backs up. He nods to Tainted before mouthing the words ‘getting help.’ Tainted’s glance makes it known that he understands Ghost’s message before letting Bolt run. Dream ends up holding on tightly as Bolt runs through the different hallways of the castle and then jumping outside. He clings on for dear life as Bolt free falls from the eleventh story before using his daggers to slow his descent against the wall. He looks around before running away. Ghost suppresses a yelp as Cross creates a portal in a matter of seconds and jumps through it before painting a large red X over it to close and lock the portal. He hides his face in Bolt’s scarf as he continues to portal hop to an empty Star Sanses’ base. He frowns sadly as he looks at the messy living room, nothing much was moved. Even then, all the baby stuff was moved to the secure Au hiding the Moon Sanses’ new base. As soon as he lets go, Bolt turns around with a knife in hand. Ghost backs away with a yelp. He stares at Ghost for a moment. 

“Dream? That you?” Bolt’s sockets widen as he lowers his knife just a little. He isn’t sure if it’s truly his old friend and teammate. It could be a trap for all he knows. Ghost sits on the ground.

“I'm cryin' out for help.” He looks away, keeping his sockets closed. He needs to convince Bolt to get help from Nightmare. “I know I bite but I mean well!” Bolt lowers his knife with a confused look on his face. Ghost reaches for his other hand and holds it close. “Can you see my disguise? I'm different inside.” Bolt’s sockets widen again. “Can you break this spell?” Ghost holds eye contact with Bolt and Bolt looks to the side as another ghost makes themselves known with an amused chuckle.

“Now all the ghosts from before, their knocking and breakin' down the door.” Chara shakes his head as he looks down at Ghost before looking at Bolt. Ghost notices them before bowing on his knees.

“So please set us free, now you have the key.” Bolt looks at the bottle that Ghost stares at in confusion. This bottle is a key? A key to what? A pain hits Ghost and he grabs his chest. Shattered is using the apples again. Tears prickle Ghost’s sockets. "'Cause I can't take the pain no more!" Bolt takes a small step back, startled. Ghost moves his hands to his skull as he curls in on himself. Chara stares in disbelief as well. "They're only Stars who lost their way!" Ghost chokes on air as he tries to continue. "But if we wait long enough then we'll be saved!" His eye lights shine with the hope that Bolt now represents. He's so close to his brother. He just needs to get his help. "Just sleep, just dream!" He feels Bolt’s hand go through him before he focuses on touching Bolt. He holds Bolt’s hand tightly as he continues to cry. "This isn't fair! No, they're not just what they seem!" Bolt stares into Ghost’s sockets for a moment in a sad realization. He gently squeezes his hand in reassurance. He takes in the tattered look of his friend. The only thing that wasn't completely broken or scratched was his crown. "We want to fly, but our souls are trapped inside!" He tries one more time to flap his wings.

Nothing happens. 

Ghost cries out as he squeezes Bolt’s hand again. “It's not a game! Not to blame!” He rests his forehead against Bolt’s hand as well as his tears hit the ground. “They’re forced to hide!” Bolts sockets widen before his attention turns back to the bottle in his hand. Error had gotten one too, but none of them knew what it was so no one touched it. Maybe he should take Ghost to see Night. They could get some answers and a plan to get their Stars back. He notices the chain tied to his scarf before realizing that it connects to Ghost. 

“Just sleep.” He air-pats Ghost on the shoulder. Ghost shakes his skull at the thought of sleep. How could he sleep when he had to get his brother’s help. Pure positivity and pure negativity are the only two things that Ghost knows will defeat Shattered. “Just dream.” Ghost latches onto Bolt’s sleeve as he solidifies his plan to bring him to Nightmare. Bolt shifts so then he can give a piggyback ride to Ghost. If it were anyone else’s ghost, he wouldn’t do this. But Ghost seems so tired and tattered, he’ll carry his friend. “I’ll get you to Nightmare, and soon we'll get you free.” 

Ghost gasps for breath as he nods. He holds onto the back of Bolt’s jacket tightly and buries his face in the fluffy hood. Bolt smiles before cutting open a portal and starting the process of portal hopping to get to the Moon Sanses. Who, when hearing about the growth of a new group and the loss of the Stars, went to a hidden Au that Tainted had shown them years earlier to build a new base to hide with the kids. All of them had gotten attached to the babies, and wanted to keep them safe, even more so after Tainted went missing. Ghost doesn’t dare lift his head from Bolt’s back as Bolt continues to pick up speed; opening, and closing portals as he runs. Soon, he opens the last portal leading to a doorway. He quickly closes and locks the portal behind him. He never uses the same portal twice as a safety caution. He looks at Ghost before smiling sadly. 

“I don’t know if you were still you when it happened… But-”

“I have nephews. I know. I’ve been everywhere that Shattered has. I’ve seen them and they’re adorable.” Ghost smiles sadly as he tightens his grip on Bolt’s jacket. Bolt returns the smile. “Maybe this time… I can stay with them longer.” Bolt chuckles softly under his breath before becoming serious. He knocks on the door in a pattern. 

“Nightmare? Error? Dust? Someone? Open the door. I have a lead.” He waits for a moment before a tired and disheveled Nightmare, with Stain on his hip giggling, opens the door. 

“Cross? What do you mean you have a lead?” 

Nightmare bounces Stain on his hip as Stain grabs at his crown. He’s tired because neither of the twins are developing as they should. They should both be running around by now. And saying their first words. But neither of them are doing any of that. Stain giggles before turning to see Bolt and Ghost. He stares at Bolt for a moment before turning to Ghost. His eye lights widen in delight as he claps. He starts to squirm more in Nightmare’s hold as he reaches out to Ghost.

“Well. What would you say if I told you that your brother came to me as a spirit type thing?” Nightmare’s eye sockets widen. “And he came to me to get help for the others?” Nightmare quickly looks around Bolt’s body for Ghost. Now that he knows what he’s looking for, he’ll be able to spot his brother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Wait. Nightmare? How come that you is searching for a ghost Dream, but couldn’t see him the other times?” Nightmare thinks for a moment before turning to Dust.

“Because I can sense my brother’s aura if I’m looking for it. Only if he isn’t stone or hiding it. And before I truly accepted myself while corrupted, I was like that too. Although we shared our bodies fairly and grew to accept each other before I took control. The two of us kinda merged into one, while staying me at the same time… Does that make sense to you?” Dust shakes his head.

“Nope. Not in the slightest, but it’s okay. You don’t need to explain it again.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ghost peaks out from behind Bolt after untying the chain. Stain giggles again and makes grabby hands at him. Nightmare’s sockets widen as he stares at Ghost. He brings a hand to cover his mouth. Ghost floats over to him and Nightmare looks over him. He lets out a soft cry of pain as he notices the chain and lack of wings. Stain notices his dad crying and then leans more onto him with a hug. Ghost looks away as he rubs his hands together. He focuses on touching Nightmare and holds Nightmare’s hand tightly. Stain stares at him as well. 

“They’re only Stars who lost their way.” He starts and Nightmare tears up. His voice is so hoarse and tired. A melancholy tone laced in his words tells Nightmare that this is his twin and not the thing that claims his body. “But if I wait long enough then they'll be saved.” He smiles sadly and Nightmare takes his hand back. He brings it close to Ghost’s face as if to cup it, but hovers just a few inches away.

“Just Dream?” light purple tears softly make their way down his face as he searches Ghost’s face for any lies. Ghost just tilts his head to the side sadly as tears fill his sockets as well. 

“Just Dream.” Ghost nods back and Nightmare sets Stain down on the floor. Stain sits there, looking up at the grown-ups before Bolt picks him up. 

“This isn't fair.” Nightmare whispers as he continues to look over Ghost. Ghost shakes his head in agreement. He looks at Stain before hugging Nightmare tightly.

“No, they're not just what they seem.” He whispers to Nightmare. He pulls away and pulls his legs to his chest as he floats in front of Nightmare. “We want to fly, but our souls are trapped inside.” Nightmare’s sockets widen at the somewhat familiar speech pattern. After spending so much time around Tainted, he picked up on leaving cryptic clues. “It's not a game.”

“You’re not to blame.” Ghost sadly chuckles as he shakes his head. If he hadn’t dropped his scissors. If he ran faster. If he just accepted it sooner. Or maybe even admitted his feelings sooner. None of this would have happened. 

“They’re forced to hide.” He tears up again as he stares at his brother. 

“Just sleep, just dream.” Nightmare bends down to console his twin. He can’t touch Ghost who, to conserve energy, became intangible again. Bolt coos to the baby to try and get him to speak. Nightmare looks over at him before realizing that Bolt is also holding a bottle. Something clicks in his mind as he crawls closer to Ghost. “It's only a nightmare, and soon we’ll set you free.” Ghost looks up as Nightmare stares at him with a determined gaze. There’s a way to get their friends and Tainted back. Ghost smiles in relief before staring at Nightmare’s crown. 

“So that’s why.” Nightmare pauses.

“Huh? What is it?” Ghost wipes his tears.

“Ink. His mind is… not completely there. But he would always call out to you three, his brothers, and the kids. But he never called by your names. It was like a game of guess and bite.”

“‘Guess and bite’?” Nightmare sounds baffled. Ghost shakes his skull. Where else would he get the bite marks on his hands? He would make himself tangible to try and comfort Tainted, only to be bitten if he would get the names wrong when Tainted would talk.

“When he talks… It’s rarely a proper sentence. So when he would mention people, I would have to guess who it was. I think you can figure out what happens when I would get it wrong. But anyway, he would call you Moon. Now I can see why.” He points to his crown. Nightmare, or Moon, smiles sadly as memories of mornings with nicknames with Error and Killer as well. He wipes sockets for good measure. 

“I see… Now. Let’s go. We have some Stars to save.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I wonder what his plan is.” The others nod and Dream wipes his tears as he holds onto Blue a little tighter. Blue softly chuckles under his breath before holding him closer as well. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The screen flashes forward. Moon, unfortunately, has to sit out of the meeting since he ended up collapsing soon after Ghost came back. While he grows stronger on negative emotions, he’s been poisoned by his own negative emotions. So he sits there on the couch with the eleven and a half month twins on his lap as well. He hums a soft tune to them. He smiles as Stain grabs onto his fingers tightly. Paperjam stares at him with a small smile as he continues to reach for Moon’s crown.

“The world keeps spinning among this sinning.” He murmurs to the babies. The tune is something that would be familiar to Tainted if he was there. “Oh what a cruel and disgusting place.” He sighs softly before chuckling as Stain tries to eat his finger. He pulls his finger away and Stain giggles as if he knows what he was doing. “The purest moonlight is bloodied by plight. And screaming resonants.” He turns his skull in the direction of the meeting room. The shouts of protest and disbelief are loud. The babies turn to face the sound as well before turning to Moon in worry. Moon stares down at them in disbelief at their understanding. He shakes his skull before poking them gently on the ridge of their nasal cavity. Paperjam giggles loudly as the small pieces of his skull that float changes into a small heart shape. Moon smiles lovingly at Paperjam and Stain. “But somehow I know that it’s all for show.” He pulls them close to him as he leans back against the back of the couch. “The world will reveal it’s true beauty soon.” He wonders about how he could prove to the others that he can fight for his love. How he can do more than just watch his angels. He figures that he could draw energy and magic from the moon just like how Ghost could pull energy and magic from the sun. But for that, he would need his staff. One he hasn’t touched since he received it. “And we’ll all reach towards the moon.”

His sockets widen as Paperjam and Stain both points to his crown before babbling. They had a point. He sits up immediately and grabs a baby in each arm. Both holding onto Moon’s shirt tightly as he speedwalks to the meeting room. **_The broken is breaking more._ ** He’s still the leader of the Moon Sanses. Meaning that his decision is final, but to make sure everyone is okay with the plan he will explain it. They have to move back to their old base. **_Crying in an uproar._ ** Not only is their better gear there, but Shattered will be looking for a different base, this base, knowing that the old one is empty. This base is nice, but they can’t risk being found. **_This grey world has become our prison._ ** Moon, with the two babies, marches into the room and starts to command the attention to his plan. Just as he would in the past. He smiles as they agree to move back. Their old gear is there as well. As the meeting concludes, Error takes Paperjam from Moon and heads to their shared room. They need to pack anything that gives away that they were there. Killer, or Bullseye as Tainted called him, followed close behind. They all grab a pack/ backpack and pack up whatever they need. Placing the rest into the Anti-void. Bullseye turns to Error with a sad but determined gaze as he holds a painting close. One that Tainted had done not too long before he went missing. **_Even the brightest stars, like a meteor caving in._ **Now they know what’s happened to the Stars. All except Outer… But they haven’t seen or heard from him in a while and Ghost refused to say if Shattered got him or not.

On their way to Dreamtale, they decide to stop at Outertale. Just to see if Outer wanted to join them or at least if he was okay. **_Shouting into the sky for an ally._ ** Moon and the others call out for Outer only to get no response. **_Among all this corruption._ ** They had split up to search for any clues in the empty Au. All they found was shredded remains of his jacket sleeve. **_Even the strongest hearts, being engulfed by the darkness._ ** They decided to leave as soon as everyone gathered again. Hurring to Error’s portal to the Anti-void. 

“Fight, the universe calls!” Moon sings softly to Stain and Paperjam as he watches over them in the Anti-void. Worry about Outer’s disappearance and what it could mean made the Moon Sanses rest in the Anti-void as they check again. “Let the star’s light refract into the night, after all…” He cups their faces in his hands and they lean into the touch with a smile. He smiles lovingly back at them. “This world’s never truly dark.” He stands up and walks towards the others as both babies crawl over behind him. “Come together now.” The others turn to Moon. “Let’s find the Au we can call home, and let’s vow to never let the Stars’ light cloud.” 

He raises a fist into the air and the rest let out sounds of agreement as they stand up as well. Paperjam holds onto Error’s jacket from the back sling and Killer holds Stain in another sling as they hold hands walking through the portal. They’re determined to get their Tainted back. Moon hurries through the hallways, leaving the babies with Error and Bullseye as he looks for his old training outfit and staff. He rushes down the halls as he tries to find the right room with his gear. **_The world keeps spinning._ ** He smirks as he opens the door to the right closet. He pulls out his old gear and armor pieces. **_Among this sinning._ ** He puts on the iron and leather forearm brace. **_Oh, what a cruel and disgusting place._ ** He opens his jaw and uses his teeth to help pull the string tight. He then ties the strings together before tucking them into the brace. He looks around before pulling out his still fitting combat boots. He lifts his left foot before putting the boot on. As he tries to tie it, he falls to the side before grumbling. **_The purest moonlight._ **He puts on the other boot and arm brace.

He sighs softly as he looks around for a certain chest plate. **_Is bloodied by plight._ ** He smiles as he finds it. It doesn’t look like much, but looks are deceiving. The black “fabric” is woven with thin wires of iron, thin enough to move and fold like cloth, but thick enough to never snap. He takes off his cape and hood before pulling it over his black shirt. Which wouldn’t be considered a shirt since there were no sleeves and it revealed the top three ribs. He straightens it out before grabbing his hood again. He stares at the clasp that would make sure the cape would stay on the hood. **_And screaming resonants._ ** He sighs softly at the charms. Sun and moon. He shakes his head before pulling it over his skull. **_But somehow I know._ ** He adjusts the cape and pushes the hood off his skull before grabbing his crown again. **_That it’s all for show._ ** He places it on his skull before straightening it out as well. He smirks before leaving the closet to find his staff. He walks down the hallway making different turns before reaching another closet. **_The world will reveal it’s true beauty soon._ ** He opens the doors before his smile widens. He was right. The staff is still there. He reaches out to it and grabs it. **_And we’ll all reach towards the moon._ ** He pulls it out and the others get a good look at it. The silver staff is decorated with midnight blue swirls and deep violets as well. The bottom of the staff is a rounded edge until Moon gives the staff one hard shake, and a blade pops out of the bottom. The others look at the staff in awe. Nightmare notices that the top of Moon’s staff is a deep violet crescent moon. On the tip of the moon is a dangling sphere made of silver. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Woah. Night! I didn’t know you have a cool looking staff!” Killer turns to Nightmare in awe, but Ink cuts Nightmare off before he could respond.

“He doesn’t. At least, not in this multiverse.” Nightmare nods in agreement. He watches in awe as Moon twirls it around, getting used to the feel again. Wishing for a staff like Moon’s or one just as beautiful. Perhaps he could get Ink to make him one. 

“Dream is the one with a staff. At least… That’s what I remember.” Dream only nods as he squeezes Cross’s hand tightly. Blue pats his back before hugging his friend one last time to make sure he’s okay. 

“I don’t think that he had a staff. If he did, then he hid it. However, if Night says he didn’t have one, then it’s most likely that he didn’t have one.” Blue nods.

“If he did, that probably would’ve made it harder to fight against him. But it does make me curious about what he can do with it. If Dream’s turns into a bow, what does his turn into.” 

Dust stares at Blue with a confused stare. Wasn’t Blue just cowering in grief and fear, holding onto him tightly? This isn’t right. He narrows his eye sockets at Blue and Blue looks back at him in confusion. Dust turns away in confusion. Ink turns to Blue, sensing the change. He presses his mouth into a thin line. There’s been a subtle rewrite again. This time only to Blue. He looks around. No one else seems to have noticed. Well, it doesn’t seem like a bad rewrite. He seems… more like the first Swap. Ink looks away, as long as no one notices, then there isn’t much to worry about. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 **_Taking a turn for the worse._ ** Moon lets out a frustrated yell as he tries to summon an attack with his staff. Ghost had made it look so easy to change the staff into something else and call for an attack. **_Minds going inverse._ ** He wants to cry from how difficult this is. He can’t control the corruption and could hurt his kids if he isn’t careful; however, it would be easier to attack than using the staff. He growls at it before looking around to see no one around. He sighs before getting back up. **_Struggling under agony._ ** He straps the staff to his back as he walks around to see where everyone else is. He waves to Ghost and Ghost joins him. He waves to Horror and Dust talking. He nods at Sythe (Reaper) and Bolt. He makes his way to the couch and gently presses a kiss to Error and Bullseye’s skulls. **_Committing selfish acts._ ** He makes his way to the spare room that they quickly turned into a nursery for the babies. 

He sighs as he walks in. **_All in hopes to set themselves free._ ** He picks up the twins before sitting in the big rocking chair. He just needs a break. Ever since he found the staff, he’s been trying to figure out how to use it before restarting training with the others. **_Banding together as one. Instantly undone._ ** Paperjam barely opens his sockets to look up at Nightmare. He softly babbles before gently smacking Stain’s arm to wake him up. Stain opens a socket and murmurs something before snuggling closer into Moon’s chest; getting a soft laugh from Moon. **_Over and over, it’s frustrating._ ** Paperjam smiles before hugging Moon close as well. Moon stares down at them. 

“So I guess it’s my turn to step in and make them all believe.” He leans back in the chair, slowly rocking it to help the twins fall back to sleep. He just needed a few moments to hold his kids before he goes back to the shitshow he calls reality. “Smile, the multiverse calls.” He smiles softly as he closes his sockets as well. “There’s no time to let the bad thoughts compile, after all…” He slowly stops singing as he dozes off in the chair. 

The screen flashes and Moon is hiding in a tree in a Snowdin’s forest. He’s gone to different Au’s trying to find a Sans or more that are willing to help fight the Fallen Stars. His eye sockets widen as he watches Tainted jump from a portal and shreds apart the Au’s Papyrus in front of the Sans. The Sans of this Au, Puzzle from Puzzletale, is helpless to do anything as the former protector rips apart his brother and proceeds to eat smaller bone fragments. He watches as Yani gets close and whispers something to Puzzle before leaving, calling Tainted through the portal as well. Everyone in the room pales and their magic becomes unsettled. Ink covers his mouth in disgust and horror. 

“This world’s turning darker still.” Moon quickly opens a portal and leaves. He’s only seen Tainted while hiding in different Au’s looking for allies. As of right now, Bolt is the only one who knows where the base of the Fallen Stars is. He doesn’t want anyone to pull something stupid and go there without a game plan or any idea around the place. “Come together now. Let’s find the Au we call home,” he turns to Ghost, who’s been following him this whole time. Ghost nods before looking away. Unfortunately, he knows that Tainted has shredded and eaten more than just one Papyrus. “And let’s vow, to never let the Stars’ light cloud.” Ghost’s stare darkens as he looks away from Moon.

“Again.”

Moon grunts as he pulls himself up from the dirt. He spits to the side before raising his staff again. He was able to start to feel the magic come from it. He knows he’s close to figuring it out. “One more time, one more chance!” He growls as he tries once more to get the magic to flow from him into the staff properly.

The screen flashes again. **_Our final step into the great expanse._ ** He’s gathered the Moon Sanses other than Sythe, who is watching the babies. He leads them down the hall to the training room. **_Let’s open the doors and to a new world let’s advance._ ** He throws the doors open and starts up the training grounds. The others grab their weapons and get to work sharping their skills again. Moon walks around, making sure that they’re sharpening their skills again. **_But nothing’s as it seems._ ** He watches as Error’s strings fail to make an inescapable hold on the moving dummy. He frowns softly as Bullseye misses the bullseye by a few inches. Normally that would be okay, but not now. Those few inches could mean life or death now. **_The liar has a scheme._ ** He walks over to Bullseye and tilts his hand slightly before Bullseye throws it again. He nods as it hits its target. He turns to see Horror hit his target with few opening to getting himself hurt. **_Even so, let’s make a stance._ ** He turns to Dust seeing him finally hit the target with no openings. He smiles at it before turning to Bolt. **_And believe._ ** Moon notices his hands shaking with his daggers. He walks over to him.

 **_One more time, one more fight._ ** He places his hands on Bolt’s shoulders. "Look, I know you don't want to be so accurate to the point that you could kill them on accident. But you must train again." Bolt looks at Moon with a torn expression. He knows that he has to be able to fight them, but he doesn't want to fatally damage them. **_The clouds further darken this gloomy night._ ** He sighs before nodding and steeling himself. Moon turns to face the whole room. "This goes for all of you! These are not our Stars. They will not hesitate to hurt you. Yes, they are still there, but they aren't there enough to not attack. You must practice dodging and sharpen your accuracy of attacks. Even just an inch or two could be the difference between death and life. Understood?" The others nod before turning to find sparring partners to practice dodging and rolls. Moom nods back before sparring with Bolt. **_Make their final cry as he connives._ **

The screen flashes to Sythe and the kids. Ink and Cross stare sadly at their brother. They know how much he craves touch from them since most of the other Sanses can't touch him. They watch as Sythe uses a long soft staff to keep the babies away from the doorway, wall sockets, and himself. He wants to touch and hold them so much. But he isn't willing to risk it. **_The world stops spinning around._ ** Paperjam stares at him in confusion. He knows that Sythe is someone his parents trust. So why won't he hold him? Paperjam pouts, he wants to be held. **_The liar takes his mask down._ ** He's determined to be held. He crawls as fast as he can, he could stand up and walk but he wants Tainted to be there. So he'll walk and run when he has somewhere to go. Like his mama's arms. **_And once again blood hits the ground._ ** Paperjam uses Stain to hold onto the staff as he crawls over to Sythe. Sythe's face scrunches up in horror and despair as Paperjam touches his hand. Only to relax in awe and relief as Paperjam only giggles and raises his arms to Sythe. Tears fall from Sythe's eye sockets as he puts down the staff to hold Paperjam. He doesn't dust. Stain crawls over and Sythe touches him as well. He doesn't dust either. A full touch from Death didn't kill them and he silently thanks his brother for this gift. He holds the babies close and they squeal before hugging him tightly. Sythe curls around them as he leans against the wall.

"Sorry I let Ink’s light cloud." Sythe blames himself that this had happened. If he hadn't asked Tainted to go to see Bolt before coming to talk with him… He could've been able to go with him to see Shattered and protected him. Paperjam and Stain only grow silent before hugging him tightly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Reaper.” Ink places his hand against the glass as he watches his brother cry. 

He didn’t think that… He didn’t realize… How could he just… He pulls his hand back in pain as he looks away. Even though it was a couple of rewrites ago, he still feels terrible about just disappearing after finding Paperjam and Stain. Dream had seen the babies and Ink mistook his stunned silence for anger. So he ran and hid in the safe space of the Multiverse. He didn’t say anything to anyone, all they knew was that he disappeared. They knew he didn’t dust since he never seemed to fully leave his job and would continue to fix and restore Au’s; however, no one saw him do his job. He didn’t think about how his brothers must have felt. He didn’t think at all. Tears fill his sockets as he stares at Sythe sobbing on the twins. He looks away ashamed of himself. Error and Killer hug him tightly as Nightmare joins in. Ink just covers his sockets and thanks the stars that no one else remembers that rewrite of the multiverse. But he wishes that he didn’t remember it either.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The screen flashes to Moon on a field with the old Tree of Feeling’s stump there. He sits on the stump as he looks up at the starry night sky. He stares at the moon and reaches out to it. He can feel the energy and magic in it; however, he just can’t reach it. He sighs as he hums the same tune he would to the twins. He sets the staff on his lap as he looks away from the moon and stares down at a small patch of flowers.

“The world keeps spinning among this sinning. Oh, what a cruel and disgusting place.” He moves off of the stump and towards flowers. “The purest moonlight is bloodied by plight.” He raises a hand to a Casablanca lily and his smile turns melancholy as he remembers the visits Ink would do at night. Just to see the lilies bloom and be with Moon. “And screaming resonants. But somehow I know that it’s all for show.” He smiles at the flower as a ghost of the memories lingers around. The faint laughter of Tainted and Moon dances around him as he continues to hold the flower. “The world will reveal it’s true beauty soon.” 

He closes his sockets as the memories of them together continue to dance around him. The hushed voice of Tainted talking to him in the flowers, the excited laughter of Bullseye when Tainted had told them that he was expecting, the joyful bawling of Error as he clung onto Tainted’s pants. The emotions of holding the twins for the first time. The emotions of knowing that Tainted had come back for him. The knowledge of Tainted being not too far gone. 

“The world keeps spinning among this sinning.” He thinks back to the moments they shared. With Bullseye. With Error. “Oh what a cruel and disgusting place.” He focused on wanting his brother to have his body back. Focused on the energy of the moon. “The purest moonlight is bloodied by plight.” He brings his hands to his staff and gently holds it. “And screaming resonants.” He tilts his skull up towards the full moon and feels the soft pulses of magic coming from it. Moon gently smiles at the familiar magic washing over him. “But somehow I know that it’s all for show.” His hand twitches as the magic fills his reserves. “The world will reveal it’s true beauty soon.” He tilts his skull back down to the ground as he stands up. “And I’ll be watching from the moon.” 

His eye sockets snap open with a pulse of energy. He sticks the staff out before spinning it around for the crescent moon to face the ground. He quickly spins in a circle, leaving a trail of bright purple magic. He continues to move around, creating smaller circles and abstract shapes with the lines of purple magic from the staff. As he moves around, more and more magic builds up before the staff grows longer. Moon smiles in awe before grabbing it with two hands and twirling it faster. He builds up a magic field around himself and to his surprise, it acts as a protective barrier around him. He keeps twirling before feeling another burst of magic bubble inside him. With one wave of his arm and staff, a trail of soft purple candles shows up in front of him. His sockets widen as with the point of his staff, the candles fly in the direction with a flourish. He flies back before looking at what he did. He stares in awe before rushing back to the castle with a grin on his face. **_As one!_ ** He straightens out his crown before running in. He makes his way to the training room to practice his aim of the attack. **_It’s only just, it’s only just begun_ **! Bullseye and Error stick their heads in to see what Moon is doing. Their eye sockets widen in awe as well as they stare at his attacks and shields. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Woah. That's really cool." Killer chuckles as he watches Moon practice as well. 

"Now I wish I had a staff." Nightmare mumbles to himself.

"That would be rather cool." 

Dream stares at Moon’s attack with awe. While he had thought of arrows as his attack because he could shoot a bow, Moon had no training and figured out the purest form of his attacks. Needless to say, he's proud. Blue watching in fascination with the attacks. Candles was a weird choice of a form, but hey, who is he to judge. Again, looks can be deceiving.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Moon turns around after his attack hits the target’s bullseye. He raises his staff above his skull. “So stand and fight the sun!” Ghost chuckles at the memories. When they realized that He gets stronger in the sun and Moon at night with a bright full moon. The other Moon Sanes smile before nodding and heading into the training room again. They all come together for a group hug. “Join together as one!” They hug with soft laughter before they all nod and heading to their training stations. Moon watches them walk off with a sad smile. “For those whose time is done,” He turns to Ghost, who has tears running down his face.

“End what we all begun.” Ghost whispers to Moon. Moon nods before reaching into his jacket to pull out a lily. Ghost stares down at it before taking it and laying it next to the glass bottles. “Fight, brother. I’ll help the best I can. So will Ink. In his own way.” Moon nods before walking back to the sparring mats to practice dodging and rolling with his staff on his back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I wonder though. What are in the glass bottles? It looks like pure magic, but I can’t tell.” Blue narrows his sockets at it.

“You really want to know? Well then. Let me show you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I wasn't too thrilled how it turned out, but we're getting to some of my personal favorites. I haven't written them yet, but I'm excited! Have a wonderful day, night, evening, or afternoon!


	16. Not a chapter, but headcanons that are important

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please don't skip this. But I am alive!

Okay, so this is important for the rest of the book. If you don't read this, you might get a little confused about what the hell is actually happening. As of right now, the OG's (main multiverse) are watching pieces of the Flipped-Script Multiverse's story. Yes, Outer in this Au/Multiverse is missing. He went missing a while ago. (hint hint)

In the Flipped-Script version of the multiverse (where the corrupted/ fallen Stars are from) The names go like this:

Tainted: Corrupted Ink

Shattered: Corrupted Dream(?)

Ghost: Actual Dream of the Au

Yani: Corrupted Blue

Stars: Actual Blue of the Au

Desire: Corrupted Lust

Hearts: Actual Lust of the Au

Bolt: Cross

Moon: Nightmare

Ruru/ Error: Error

Bullseye: Killer

Sythe: Reaper

Paperjam: Paperjam

Stain: Stain

So there's that. Anyways! Here are the headcanons that you need to know. Going down the list.

Ink/ Tainted:

-Now that they share the same code (not that Tainted knows this just yet), Tainted has the same abilities as Ink. (Basically, he's more powerful than the others know.)

-They both have a tail. The extra ink/paint they clean up has to go somewhere.

-They are both made of ink/paint. Meaning that they have a specific type of magic that allows them to stay together in unclean paint/ink. Meaning that they wouldn't be able to absorb it; however, Shattered had found a way around it. 

-Ink does have a soul, but he still can't fully dust. Tainted doesn't have a soul but at this point is too lost in his broken mind that if he finds color, he makes it stay forever.

-Tainted can harvest color from other Au's or the Sans' of the Au's, so could Ink, but that leaves the Au dead. Without color or that certain emotion. 

-Tainted was used as a toy for Shattered's wants (never consensual), and only goes along with their "dates" for food and in fear of getting hurt. 

-Tainted is more or less acting on instincts all the time. And the only colors that stick permanently with him are: light blue, magenta, and crimson red. (More on that later in the book)

-Since Ink started as a Sans, that's his true form. However, since he is made of ink and paint, he could, in theory, change his appearance. Depending on how much ink/paint he's willing to use. Also, that means he can freeze.

-Ink has a connection to the past Rewrites. One way or another.

Yani/Stars:

-To clear something up... Yes, his name is Yani, but that doesn't mean that he's a yandere. I just got lazy with his code name.

-He has a hero complex. Like a big one. Seen later in the book. 

-He's not in love with Desire but will protect him. 

-He doesn't mind Tainted, unless he's attacking Desire or himself. Is a little afraid of Shattered, but is somewhat loyal to him. Too sacred to revolt and leave. 

-His favorite weapons: Sharpened bone attacks, guns, swords, bone staffs, throwing knives, and daggers. 

-Stars can gain control of their shared body, but never for very long. It's mentally draining for him to get control. You can tell because his eye lights become star-shaped.

-Stars tries to help Tainted but often spends his time breaking down at the sight of his friends. He can't help but cry every time Tainted looks at him in confusion or distrust. 

-He did absorb a human soul. (Not telling the trait yet, it'll ruin the surprise.)

Desire/Hearts:

-He also had a similar panic room like Tainted but much easier.

-Due to a certain circumstance, Desire and Hearts are much nicer to Tainted than anyone else in the Fallen Stars. (more in another chapter) 

-He hates physical contact on his bones and ecto flesh from everyone other than Tainted or Yani. 

-He hates flirty comments but pretends he doesn't.

-He hates being left alone and has something like a baby monitor near Yani's bed and Tainted's bed so he can pretend that they're close to him.

-His weapons are: his sythe and gun

-He likes to pickpocket, and if his ecto body is summoned (always a female body, more on this in a later chapter) will shove the gold and such in his cleavage/bust. 

-Protective of Tainted, and the one who gets hurt the most from Tainted when he lashes out. 

-Hearts, who is stronger than most think, has control whenever he has enough mental strength to take control. Which is often. You can tell because his eye lights change to heart-shaped.

Nothing on Shattered/Ghost. Other than Ghost no longer has a crush on Tainted, and hopes to just stay friends after everything. He doesn't want to hurt his friend anymore even if it wasn't him. He blames himself that he can't do anything.

That's all I can think of for right now... If something else comes back to mind, then I'll edit this chapter. So yeah! Most of this may not make sense right now... but it will later! I'm sorry that it's taking so long to post the next chapter! School started to drop more work on me recently as well as a writer's block. It hit me close to the beginning of the next chapter, and still hasn't fully gone away. Slowly I'm inching my way through it. So just wait a bit! I promise that I'll the chapters out. I'm not abandoning this work! I'm excited to write this, but it is a little hard since I have to make sure that things don't conflict. And that it overall makes more sense than normal. As well as having to make sure that the second multiverse/Au (Flipped-Script) is almost fully fleshed out before I continue writing. It's like a story inside a story, and I love it; however, it does mean that it takes longer to write. So, yeah! Thank you for the support so far! I hope that from here on out that the chapters meet your expectations! It makes me happy that you enjoy my writing! So thank you!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! Hopefully, I can finish the next chapter soon!


	17. Blue and Ink Duet (PREVIEW / SPOILER!)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trust Me Not - Backseat Vagabond

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TIS BE A SHORT PREVIEW!

“I’ll go. I have the strongest bond with him.” Everyone turns to Blue. Blue straightens his spine and squares his shoulders as he stares at the portal. 

“Blue. Shouldn’t someone else go? You’re tired and injured.” Blue shakes his head.

“Dream, I was the first-ever Au Ink had met other than Gin.” He looks down at Dream in his arms, “I have to do it. I’ve calmed him down before. I think I can draw him out better than you guys.” Everyone else nods sadly.

“Blue, please. Bring him back to us.” Error looks at Blue with a pleading expression.

“Don’t worry. I will.” 

Blue hands Dream to Cross before walking swiftly to the portal. He softly gulps down the extra magic in his mouth. He bravely takes a step into the portal. It’s thick and suffocating. Smothering him with black ink. Then, it’s like there’s an open cavern. He summons a small blue attack to create some light inside the cavern of jet-back paint and ink. He waves the bone around to shine the lighting; trying to find Ink. Suddenly he sees Ink sitting there in the center of the cavern. Changes around his arms, loose enough to get him to stand, but nothing more. More chains around his legs and torso. He looks so dead to Blue. His eye lights, devoid of color, become white slits once more as he stares down at nothing. Pure white tears, that glow softly, create pathways down his face. His breathing is soft and shallow. Blue slowly takes a few more steps towards Ink. Ink hears the footsteps and his head barely moves towards the sound. 

Blue, knowing that Ink isn’t looking at his face, still gives a kind, worried smile. “ What are you doing, dear?” Ink’s sockets widen at the sound of Blue’s voice. Blue holds a hand out towards Ink. Trying to get close to Ink, close enough to touch. “Aren't you tired?” Ink snaps his head towards Blue. It’s then that Blue sees very clearly that Ink has been crying more than what he sees at the moment.

“Stars, what are you doing here?” He softly glares at Blue. There is no heat behind it, but Blue can feel the wariness and pain behind it. “I don't think that you were invited.” He turns his head away from Blue before standing up. More snow white tears fall from Ink’s sockets. The chains move like fluid around Ink, and Blue stares at them in sadness. What has become of his friend? Is this everything he hides from them? “Here you go again, pretending that you love me.” Ink glares at the ground as the chain around his neck tightens. Almost choking tight, but resting like a choker. Blue’s sockets widen at the accusation. “When just beneath the surface you're convinced that you can control me.” 

Ink tries to walk away, but the chains pull him back to the ground harshly. He cries out in pain and Blue hurries to his side. He wants his friend back. He wants the one that greeted him that day. The one who would be so excited about everything Blue would tell him about. The stories of his days and what he did in certain pacifist runs. Who pushed him to try more to tell the stories. Tears gather in his sockets as he stares at this shell of a person he calls his friend.

“Dig deep into the past.” 

Something hits him. A faint pain in his mind reminds him that this wasn’t the first time he’s seen Ink so broken and lost. Something tells him that he’s done this before. He knows what to do when Ink goes down this spiral… But he doesn’t remember a time where Ink has done this before. His body seems to know what to do though. So he lets his hand hold onto Ink’s and rubs his thumb against his knuckles. He lets his mouth run without thinking. It’s as if he already knows what to say. 

“I've never been one for doing thing half-assed.” He chuckles softly, when has he ever half-assed anything? Especially when it comes to his friends. “If I'm here to save you, I'll be here forever.” He sadly smiles down at Ink as his icy-blue tears drip onto Ink’s cheekbones. Ink doesn’t react by much. He just lets his sockets close three-fourths of the way. “Just take my hand, I'll be your knight in shining armor.” 

Ink’s sockets snap open and he forces out a laugh. He quickly sits up and turns to face Blue with a hurt, angry, and baffled expression. His smile quivers with an uncertainty of Blue’s authenticity behind the statement. He’s heard that before and the fact that Blue is repeating it makes his soul pound with anger and pain.

“Blue, you think you're a hero?” He stands up, Blue follows. He turns around to face Blue, looking up at his friend. “And they'll tell you you are.” The chains start to grow up his body. Creating shackles around his hands. Tears of anger burn his sockets as he glares up at Blue. He was called a hero once. By the creators. Now, he never wants to be their hero. He’s the villain in so many stories. “So stoic and handsome.” He coos with jealousy and anger. He won’t let his friend play the role. He can’t lose his friend, not like that. Many heroes must die before they are recognized as the hero. He won’t lose Blue, not when he’s all he has left of Swap. “And you've come so far!” His milky white tears gain drops of icy-blue tints to them. Blue looks at his friend in confusion and hurt. Ink stares back with a painfilled expression. Gin was once a hero. Blue too. Dream. Error. Nightmare. Cross. 

They all were once heroes in one rewrite or another. Each time, they have died in front of Ink. Forcing Ink to reset the multiverse once again. Over and over. Ink had been the hero once, but he’ll never understand how Blue could bravely face being a hero so often. Swap was like that too. He stares at Blue and only sees Swap. New sapphire-blue tears replace Ink’s old tears. 

He just wants to go home. 

He wants his family. He wants his friends. He wants Gin. He wants Swap to comfort him. He wants to stop being so selfish in wishing that they all remembered the rewrites. He wants them to hurt as he has. He wants so much more than he could ever have. He wants everything to stop. Just stop and let him breathe. 

He never asked for this.

He never asked for this job. He never asked for anything more than a finished home. His own Au. He wanted just a home in his Snowdin with his Papyrus. Drinking something like ketchup in his Grillby’s, laying and playing with his human in his snow. To look over the world in his pacifist runs. To cry and battle with rage and grief for losing his Papy. He wanted to be a normal Sans. He never asked to be a guardian. He never asked to be a creator. He couldn’t even finish his own Au. It wouldn’t be his anymore if he did. None of the Au’s other creators made for him ever did. So most got erased or torn apart. 

Blue stares at Ink’s sobbing figure and his tears drip off of his chin. He knows now. He remembers everything now. All those rewrites. The times he would throw himself in front of Dream or Ink. Or Outer, Lust, or Cross. The times that Dream had shouted at Ink in fits of rage in different Rewrites. The hate he got in one rewrite for things he could not control. He remembers the times he would find Ink in pools of his own ink sobbing about how he failed. He remembers hearing the wails ringing throughout the Multiverse after the loss of Paperjam and Stain. He was the only one who knew about them. He remembers the amount of times Ink had to reset the Multiverse.

He watches as his broken friend falls to the ground. He remembers how sad he was when they first met. How fragile Ink was around him. How he kept calling him Swap, or the times he would break down crying, refusing to look at Blue. Because he held the face of his true second friend. How certain things made Ink cry as he would smile. He remembers things from Swap’s life. His sockets widen as things click into place. He was the reason Ink’s purifying dance is the way it is. Swap is still apart of Blue, though. He falls to the ground as well, disregarding his own tears, he crawls over to Ink. He cups his face and wipes his tears away. 

“You think you're a villain.” His voice is soft and sad, causing Ink to look up at his friend. “But I know you're not.” Blue smiles sadly at Ink and Ink’s face scrunches in pain and grief. He moves to try and hold Blue’s wrist but fails, so he leans into the touch instead. Blue pulls Ink closer for a hug. He holds him close and hides his face in the smaller’s shoulder. “Under all that angst and anger is a beating pure soul.” 

The message to rest, let go is clear. Ink wants to so badly. He wants to rest. He wants to sleep. To never wake up. He wants Blue to hold close as Swap would. Hold him and comfort him until they fall asleep tangled with each other. Wake up to making breakfast and then spaghetti for lunch. Movies throughout the day on the couch with tea or hot chocolate. Snacks of nice-cream and berries. He wants to fall asleep like that with Blue. Like how he would with Swap. He wants to fall asleep and wake up back with Swap. And Gin. Or with his three loveable idiots and his babies. He wants to be selfish like that. That’s all he’ll ask for, then he’ll let Tainted or Kitsune or the other creators have their ways. As long as he has those things. As long as he has those things to fight for.

But, he’s a guardian. 

He can’t be selfish. So he struggles in Blue’s hold.

“What about the lonely little Aus?” Blue holds him tighter.

“I'm sorry!” 

He can’t lose his friend to his work. He can’t. Not again. He can’t stomach to think of the memories flooding his mind. Watching his friend overwork himself until his inevitable destabilization. Tears start to fall faster. Ink thrashes more. He can’t let the bright light that is Blue be swallowed whole in this place. He refuses to have this pure star corrupted once more. He needs to force Blue out of here.

“What about their monsters who prevailed?” The silhouette of all the Moon Sanses and others surround Blue and Ink. The darkness thirsting to swallow up the light Blue represents. 

“I'm sorry!” 

Blue puts up a wall of blue bones around them. Ink stares at him and only sees Swap. Tears blur his vision as he notices the difference in Blue. How his scarf is no longer a baby blue, but the worn navy blue that he knows as Swap’s. How it wasn’t tied in a bow, how it flows around them, laying on the floor around them like a train of hair, but moving like water. Ink’s grief turns to anger.

“You never came to save my world!” Everything Ink had made was at one point ripped away from him. Friends, Family, loved ones. Nothing stayed in his world. Nothing remained the same. Nothing was like he knew it. Ink has spent so much time fixing everyone else without paying attention to himself. Nothing made him complete anymore. And this proves it. “What about me?!” 

”What about us?” Blue holds Ink close to his chest. Holding him as if he lets go, he’ll lose Ink forever. He’s so tired. He wants Ink to come home with them. With him. They haven’t had a bonding day in so long. Blue wants to tempt him with the promise of Movies, Snacks, and not leaving the couch for a whole day. Maybe asking to paint with Ink. Or training with Ink. Anything to get Ink to stay with him. To fight and come back to the rest of them. “I recognize that you're upset!” His own tears falling onto Ink, who hides his face in Blue’s navy blue sweater. The soft fabric calling him to come home, but he can’t. He’s scared. He’s a monster now. “I know they did you wrong!” Ink’s grief and exhaustion turn into a fit of burning anger. He shoves Blue away as he stands up. His tears in his left socket turn red with his anger.

“Oh, you know nothing of me!” Blue stands up and hurries to Ink’s side. 

“But trust me, please believe me!” He tries to get Ink to look at him as he grabs Ink’s hands and holds them in his. His hands completely devouring Ink’s and hiding them from view. He focuses on trying to get Ink’s attention. “This won't stop the hurt for long!” He watches as Ink’s anger leaves him. Returning his tears to a royal blue that seem to glow against his face. “We don't need to end like this! Look me in the eyes.” Ink rolls his eye lights as he turns away, pulling his hands away as well.

“Here comes the hero complex.” 

His hands tighten into fists at his sides. Blue stares in shock at Ink’s back. He doesn’t understand what Ink means. Unless Tainted was talking through Ink. Then that makes sense. But, Blue would only be a hero for his loved and treasured ones. Not everyone is worthy of mercy nor a second chance. Some people don’t change. 

“I may be a villain, but you're the one who lies.” / “You call yourself a villain, but we know it's a disguise.” The chains around Ink tighten before loosening a little more. The shackles drop back into the paint and Ink glares at the ground. He can’t bring himself to look at his friend, and Blue just continues to cry as he waits for Ink to look at him. 

“So, you're back at it again, twisting and manipulating every word I've said?” Ink arches a brow as Blue’s frame scrunches up more. He may have done somethings and said somethings in past rewrites that he never meant to say or do. Now that he remembers, he doesn’t want to forget. He needs to atone and make it up to Ink. But he hasn’t said or done anything this rewrite, and he’s sure that Ink doesn’t know he remembers now. 

“Come on, you know that's not true!” Blue grabs Ink’s hands again and sits them down. “I'm just trying to help you!” He holds Ink’s hands closer to his chest as his vision blurs into colors and blotches. He cries out to Ink and Ink looks up to see Swap yelling at him to let him help. “Let me help you!” Ink lets out a sob as he pulls his hands back to his chest.

“YOU CAN’T BE MY HERO, SWAP!” Both grow silent as Ink covers his mouth before sobbing again. Blue’s soul almost shatters at the soul-breaking sobs Ink creates. Ink hides his eyes with his hands. “You don't know how it felt, Blue.” Blue’s soul hurts more at being separated from Swap. He knows he could never replace Swap, but it still hurts knowing that this has been hurting his friend for so long. How long has Ink been keeping this in? He remembers how it felt to die all those rewrites and resets. He remembers now but pushes through the pain of the memories to comfort his friend. “What else could I do with the cards that I've been dealt?!”

He continues to sob and wail his soul out as Blue sits there stunned. Unable to move as the paint reacts to Ink’s emotions. Blue watches in anguish as a black paint silhouette of Ink silently screams out in pain and anguish as he crawls over to the ripped paper of Underswap. How he had to watch the Bunny turn into a Fox before taking off their mask. He watches as Ink holds anything that is now his, close to his chest before sobbing. He watches as his original creator leaves something on the original Multiverse tree. The branch for Underswap, the only part of the branch that is still alive. He watches in horror as his original creator places their mask on the ground before smashing it themself. He cries harder as he watches Ink quickly grab what he could from the Underswap branch to preserve what was left of his friend. How Ink ran to Liam to save his friend by creating a new multiverse, their own multiverse. He watches as Ink gathers parts of different branches from the original multiverse and takes them to Liam. How he had to fight and almost lost his pieces of the DreamTale twins. He turns to Ink and reaches out to him.

Ink can only see what he’s messed up. He failed to protect this multiverse. He failed at creating a perfect lock. He failed at being a guardian. He failed at staying out of their lives. He failed at creating Swap again. He failed to keep Gin alive. He failed to keep Gin’s Au alive. He’s failed at everything he’s done.

But Blue can only see a hurt, broken, but still a kind monster in front of him. One that needs more love than thought. One that has given so much for everyone in the multiverse to be happy and healthy, but has gotten so little in return. Someone that would willingly die over and over again if it meant giving anyone else a fighting chance. One that helped keep their friends together. One that helped him be alive today. Someone who made themselves a target to get the creators’ eyes off of them and let them live peacefully.

“You are not the villain.” 

Ink looks up at Blue, startled. He sees the sad kind smile on Blue’s face and only sees Blue. Yes, there are hints of Swap, but this was Blue. A beautiful bend of Swap and Liam’s take on Swap. It’s as close as Swap as he could get, but he knows that this is HIS Swap. This is his second-ever friend. This is the Sans who knows his spirals into this type of thinking. Blue was his Swap, and that’s enough for him to want to fight to come home for now. He has to protect Blue. He wants to spend more time with him. Not in these chains. Blue takes Ink’s hands into his and holds him close to his chest. “You once held my hand, and now I ask you never let go.” Ink’s smile wavers through the tears.

“I’ll try.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I felt that the actual chapter is taking so long. I'm really sorry, I just haven't been motivated, but I didn't want to leave you guys hanging without something to read! So I decided to give y'all a preview of an upcoming chapter! This comes from the last chapter in the work, just FYI. We are reaching the end of the work, but still! We have quite a few more chapters to get through. So I hope you enjoyed this short piece of another chapter! And yes I am aware that I already had a set amount of chapters, but that was before I had refined the storyline. So technically, the actual story itself isn't 35 chapters. Yeah, sorry about that.


End file.
